Harry Potter and the Pyramids of Furmat
by Umbridge hater
Summary: ive finally updated... Chapter 9 is up... Harry discovers that Malfoy is out to get him... so your thinking whats new? well this... its under Voldemorts orders, and trust me... in this chapter, Malfoy get mean
1. The Three Letters

Harry Potter and the Pyramids of Furmat  
  
chapter one:- the three letters  
  
I am using this name because i thought it would be an interesting title for a future book because i got it from a harry potter website so i decided to go with it, and i have plenty of ideas too. Enjoy!  
  
The stillness of the air was frightful and the trees in Privet Drive didn't move an inch, their shadows casting a gloomy darkness over the houses. If that was scary, it was nothing compared to Uncle Vernon when he was angry.  
  
As soon as he got home from collecting Harry Potter from Kings Cross Station, he grabbed Harry by the scruff of the neck and shoved him into the living room.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU" Uncle Vernon thundered, spraying Harry in Spit and Drool.  
  
"How dare I what?", asked Harry, thoroughly confused.  
  
"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN BOY, TELL ME WHY YOU TOLD THOSE......THOSE......WEIRDOS THAT YOU WERE BEING MISTREATED?".  
  
Harry was absolutely stumped now. Then he remembered something that Moody said only an hour before. That if he heared that Harry was being mistreated, Uncle Vernon would have Moody to answer to.  
  
Uncle Vernon, seeing the look on Harry's face said,"Well, well, he does know what I am talking about. "So tell me Boy, what was your reason for trying to ruin my family, anymore than it is by you being in my house. " Remember it was YOU who ruined the biggest deal of my career with Mr Mason by dropping a pudding on his wife's head!" Whenever Uncle Vernon was really angry with Harry, he'd try and make Harry feel as miserable as possible by bringing up that incident. When Harry was in his second year, the house elf Dobby came to warn Harry not to come back to Hogwarts, in fear of Harry's life. When Harry refused to stay at Privet Drive, Dobby dropped a cream and sugared violets pudding on Mrs Mason's head. After that Harry had been blamed for the incident, by both the Dursleys, and the Ministry of Magic. Harry thought that if the Ministry of Magic wouldn't believe him, Uncle Vernon most certainly wouldn't. So Harry got used to the awful things Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley said to him about the "pudding incident".  
  
But Harry was used to it. He was made fun of even before he knew he was a wizard, and the teasing didn't stop even after he started at Hogwarts. Dudley made it his sworn duty to make fun of Harry at every possible opportunity. At the breakfast table, at the Supermarket, in the car on the way to Uncle Vernon's meeting in London. Finally Harry lapsed out of his state of daydreaming to answer Uncle Vernon's question.  
  
"I didn't say anything. "They just said it because you are a Mug-" Harry almost said Muggle and he didn't think Uncle Vernon's temper should be made worse. so he said "Because you are a normal person"  
  
"Too right I am", said Uncle Vernon harshly. "You people and your magic."I'd like to know who started all your lot". Harry didn't know ,but if he did, he wouldn't have told him anyway.  
  
"Is everything all right now, the shouting stopped so I thought that it was alright to come in?"  
  
"Yes, yes come in Petunia", said Uncle Vernon, as Aunt Petunia entered the living room warly, Dudley hiding unconvincingly behind her. 


	2. Back On The Knight Bus

Sorry to all those people who were left in the lurch, but I did the first chapter at school and I only get 45 mins of lunch, so here is the next chapter.  
  
Back on the knight bus.  
  
"Has he apologized?" asked Aunt Petunia severely, looking at Harry as if she willed to throw something at him. "No, but I'll get it out of him one day, you mark my words", said Uncle Vernon sharply.  
  
Harry looked at Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, willing them to let him go up to his room. Uncle Vernon read the look on his face. "Get up to your room and don't you dare come down until tomorrow morning", barked Uncle Vernon harshly. "Or you won't see the light of day again".  
  
Harry rushed upstairs and opened his bedroom door to find three rather important looking owls sitting on his bed, and judging by the crest that was embroidered onto the crimson shawls that were around their necks; they were from the Ministry of Magic.  
  
Harry went over to the first owl and it stuck its leg out at him so that Harry could take the letter that was attached to it. It said:  
  
Dear Mr Potter, Your presence is required at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. By order of the headmaster of said school, you'll be sent transport at 4:00 PM, on Friday 31st July to take you to Hogwarts where everything will become clear. Do not worry Harry, you are not in trouble and as soon as you get to Hogwarts Dumbledore will explain everything to you. Good luck Harry! Your's sincerely, Cornelius Fudge Minister For Magic Order of Merlin First Class  
  
Harry looked at the letter in bewilderment. How could Fudge be talking to Harry like this, when he thought, last year, that Harry was a lying, attention seeking idiot.  
  
Harry got over it quickly and went over to the second owl. This one was from Dumbledore.  
  
Dear Harry. I know you only left Hogwarts today but there is something going on that concerns you. The knight bus will be at your house in five minutes. Be ready to leave by then. Signed, Albus Dumbledore Headmaster of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
Harry was getting thoroughly confused now. Nevertheless he went over to the third and final owl and tore the envelope of its leg.  
  
Dear Harry, when you get to Hogwarts Ron and Hermione will already be there. There is something you need to know. Take care Harry. Molly Weasley.  
  
Ok, thought Harry, this something, whatever it is, it must be big.  
  
"HARRY POTTER", thundered the voice of his Uncle.  
  
Harry went down stairs to find the Knight Bus already parked outside Number Four; Stan Shunpike was standing at the front door looking at Harry, smiling.  
  
"Who is this person", demanded Uncle Vernon.  
  
"He's the conductor of that bus over there", said Harry looking stunned that the bus was so quick at getting to Number four, and he hadn't had the chance to pack anything yet.  
  
"Get your things and get out of my house", barked Uncle Vernon. "And don't come back until you have learned to keep people like you away from here."  
  
Harry went back upstairs and five minutes later was heaving his trunk down towards the Knight Bus, Stan hovering around his shoulder.  
  
"Ow ya been Arry", asked Stan in his usual voice.  
  
"Fine thanks", replied Harry desperately trying to get his trunk up the stairs of the bus.  
  
Soon after nearly ten minutes of heaving, Stan offered to help and the bus was soon hurtling around the country, lurching Harry forward as it stopped to let passengers off. Trees and houses leapt out of the way as the bus frequently left the road and mounted the footpath.  
  
About half an hour later the bus came to a halt outside a set of gates that Harry new only too well. He was at Hogwarts. The tall towers rose up to the sky like outstretched hands. The windows of the castle gleamed with warming light. For an almost empty castle, it was lit up like a Christmas tree.  
  
Stan grabbed Harry's trunk and helped him carry it all the way to the oak front doors that led to the Entrance Hall. Then said, "See ya round Harry," Then he took of down the road towards the Knight Bus and was gone.  
  
"Hello Potter, would you like a hand with that", came a familiar voice from behind Harry.  
  
"Yes please, said Harry as he turned around to find Professor McGonagall staring at him.  
  
"That's quite alright Potter, but before we go to Gryffindor Tower, I must take you to see Professor Dumbledore, there is something he wishes to discuss with you." Professor McGonagall looked a little worried.  
  
"Ok then", said Harry, and he followed Professor McGonagall to Professor Dumbledore's office, completely unaware of what was about to happen to him.  
  
That's all for the moment, so please don't send me reviews saying that it isn't enough because I need time to get more inspiration and ideas, chapter three will have everything explained about what is going to happen. 


	3. Another Wizard School

Here is chapter 3 everyone. I don't know how many chapters there will be, hopefully about the same as a normal Harry potter book, so about 20 to 30 chapters. I just hope that this site will let me load that much. Pray with me everyone :)  
  
Chapter 3: Another wizard school

"Butter beer", said Professor McGonagall, and the staircase that led up to Professor Dumbledore's office suddenly appeared.  
  
"It's alright Harry", said Professor McGonagall soothingly, as Harry started to look worried.  
  
When they reached the oak front door of Dumbledore's office, Professor McGonagall knocked on the door.  
  
"Enter", came the voice of the headmaster.  
  
Professor McGonagall turned the doorknob, and she and Harry went into the office.  
  
Dumbledore's office was a large, round room that was filled with different kinds of strange objects that where making faint whirling and whizzing noises. Paintings of former headmasters and headmistresses were set along the walls. Professor Umbridge, who had run from the castle after being held captive by centaurs in the Forbidden Forest, was standing in front of Dumbledores desk, looking as if she would rather be anywhere but at Hogwarts.  
  
The pictures that weren't pretending to be asleep and had their eyes wide open, staring at Umbridge with looks of deepest loathing on their faces. Others were actually pulling faces, hoping to get her temper up so much that she would go off again.  
  
"Sit down please Harry", said Dumbledore calmly.  
  
Harry chose one of the armchairs near the window. He wanted to be as far away from Umbridge as possible. Last year, Fudge had gone behind Dumbledore's back and hired a new Defence Against The Dark Arts Teacher, Dolores Umbridge, hoping that she would be able to find out whether Dumbledore was trying to fight against him. The methods that Fudge agreed to were horrible. If you got lines to write, they weren't the usual lines. They included a special quill that when you wrote on a piece of parchment, you weren't writing in ink, you were writing in you own blood, and as you wrote, what you were writing would appear on the back of your hand, to remind you never to do it again. Harry could still see I must not tell lies every time he looked at his hand, and he did look at his hand then. He looked up just in time to see Umbridge looking at him with a small grin on her toad-like face. She looked away just as Harry lifted his head.  
  
Umbridge had also forbidden anyone to learn Defence Against The Dark Arts with practical lessons, preferring to bore her classes by making them all read the textbook cover to cover. This was what made Harry do another thing. Actually, it was Hermione's idea. She came up with an idea to create a secret club without Umbridge knowing, so that they can learn Defence Against The Dark Arts properly, and because Harry had had a lot more experience in that sort of thing, Hermione Elected Harry as the leader. This club's name is the DA, or Dumbledore's Army, and was responsible for Neville Longbottom's Spectacular performance against the Death Eaters in the Department Of Mysteries.  
  
"Harry, do you know why your here"? Asked Dumbledore.  
  
Harry thought this was a stupid question, but all he said was,"No sir".  
  
"Well I'm about to tell you, and Professor Umbridge is here to make the official paperwork, err, well, official", Umbridge puffed out her chest proudly.  
  
"Even though I think that this trip is a complete waste of Ministry of Magic time, the Minister seems to have taken a personal interest in it, so, as I am still the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic, - ("not for much longer from what I have heard", said the picture of Phineas Nigelus, Umbridge frowned angrily) - it is my duty to see to it that you get there, err... Safely". Umbridge looked at Harry with the same look she had when she thought that Harry was going to be expelled.  
  
"That's quite enough thank you Dolores," said Dumbledore calmly.  
  
Umbridge looked quickly at Dumbledore, then sat down at a chair in front of his desk, took out that all to familiar clipboard, and sat waiting for Dumbledore to start talking.  
  
"Harry, you have been chosen by the Minister for Magic, the Head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation, and the Egyptian Minister for Magic to spend this year at the Tutankhamen school for the Magic Arts and Egyptian Hieroglyphics".  
  
Harry looked at Dumbledore, confusion all over his face. Dumbledore noticed this and said; "Everything will be explained to you when you arrive in Egypt. As a safety precaution, Professor Snape will go with you."  
  
Dumbledore gestured to a spot just behind Harry, where, almost hidden in the shadows, Severus Snape stood, listening, with a very sour look on his face.  
  
"You will leave at 4 pm tomorrow, and will be at Tutankhamen's by 6:00 the same day. We have special ways to get wizards over oceans that not many people use anymore, but given the circumstances, we will excuse it just this once," said Dumbledore cheerfully.  
  
"Now, after you arrive in Egypt, Professor Snape will escort you to -"  
  
"I hope this doesn't involve magic carpets Dumbledore," interrupted Umbridge. "Because, as you know full well, that carpets were outlawed over 200 years ago, and it very unlikely -"  
  
"Fudge knows what needs to be done", said Dumbledore calmly. "In fact, it was his idea to use a carpet, as it is far more reliable than a muggle plane, not to mention a whole lot faster."  
  
"Yes, but -"  
  
"No buts Dolores, he is going, he is going on a carpet, and he is going with the Ministers approval, so there is nothing more to be said on the subject," said Dumbledore.  
  
Umbridge looked at Dumbledore sourly, but fell silent.  
  
"So, everything is sorted. Harry, Ron and Hermione will be going with you. Hermione jumped at the idea, saying that it would be a great opportunity to learn about how the Egyptian witches and wizards did things and how they cursed muggles back when the Pharaohs ruled. Ron was just as egar to go, after enjoying a good vacation there 3 years ago."  
  
Dumbledore surveyed Harry down the bridge of his long, crooked nose.  
  
"Err, sir", said Harry slowly. "Where am going to stay while I'm at this school, I've read about it in Wizarding Schools Of The World, and they don't have dormitories there like Hogwarts does so -"  
  
"Relax Harry", said Dumbledore, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. " Bill Weasley said that you could stay with him, and you will be back 4 weeks before term ends at Hogwarts, so you will be able to tell us everything about your trip."  
  
"Headmaster, if Potter is to be leaving early tomorrow, he should get up to Gryffindor Tower to get some sleep", said Snape coldly.  
  
"Yes Severus, your right," said Dumbledore, taking out his watch from his pocket and checking the time. "Harry, up to bed now please".  
  
Harry made his way up to Gryffindor Tower, stopping just short of the portrait of the Fat Lady, realising that because term hadn't started, he didn't know the password.  
  
"Password", said the Fat Lady.  
  
"Um", thought Harry. He didn't know the password, and he would have to sleep in the corridor.  
  
"Come now, think what the password could be, it's really easy", said the Fat lady teasingly.  
  
Harry pulled some words out of the air. "Harry Potter," said Harry lazily.  
  
"Why, that's right," said the Fat lady, and she swung open to reveal the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
"Harry," said a voice Harry recognised as Hermione's. "It's so good to see you. You have to tell us everything".  
  
"Yeah Harry, spill", said Ron, from a chair by the fire, Hermione had risen from her seat and was pulling Harry into a tight hug.  
  
"Ow, Hermione, let go", said Harry choking, Rubbing his neck when Hermione had let go of him.  
  
"So Harry, tell us all about what this is all about", said Ron.  
  
Once Harry had sat down, he launched into a tale of everything that had happened in the last few hours.  
  
"So Dumbledore wouldn't say why he is sending you there?" asked Ron.  
  
"Nope", said Harry. " He just said that Fudge had thought it was a good idea, but I have an idea that there is more to it than that".  
  
"Hmm", said Hermione.  
  
"What does hmm mean?" said Ron.  
  
"What, oh, nothing, nothing", said Hermione.  
  
After a few more minutes, Harry, Ron and Hermione went up to bed.  
  
Harry lay awake for about an hour before he finally drifted off to sleep, thinking about everything that Dumbledore had said.  
  
That's all for the moment. I'll do chapter four as soon as I can. Ok :)


	4. The Pharoahs Curse And Invisible Sphinx

Chapter Four  
The Pharoahs Curse and Invisible Sphinx  
  
Harry woke the next morning before dawn, rolled over, and tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't, so he got out of bed and went down to the Common Room, and went over everything in his head.  
  
Why, him, Harry Potter. Why was he going to Egypt, while everyone else was staying at Hogwarts. If they chose him because of academic achievement, they must have mixed his exam results with Hermione's. He wasn't very smart. Smart enough to pass his exams sure, but smart enough to represent Hogwarts in another country? They have to be joking, they have to be.  
  
Harry sat in an armchair by the fire until the sun was all the way up. Then, hearing movement upstairs, he went out of the portrait hole, and went to the Great Hall, where Professors Dumbledore, Snape, Umbridge, and McGonagall were already seated, at a small, round table, with a purple tablecloth. Piled on top of the table were dozens and dozens of platers of food.  
  
It seemed, even during the holidays, the House Elves didn't rest, and had outdone themselves, even for a small crowd.  
  
"Come Harry, sit down, have something to eat," said Dumbledore cheerfully, offering him a plate of sausages.  
  
Harry sat down and took the plate, piling four sausages onto his plate. A few minutes later, Ron and Hermione entered the Great Hall, then stopped dead a few feet away from the table. Both of them were staring, open mouthed, at Umbridge.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore", shrieked Hermione. "How can you allow her back here, after what she tried to do.  
  
"You know Albus, I was wondering the exact same thing", said Professor McGonagall harshly, giving Umbridge a disgusted look.  
  
"Professor Umbridge has agreed to rejoin our staff, as a temporary potions teacher. She will be teaching Professor Snape's lessons while he is away", said Dumbledore calmly.  
  
"What, no Dumbledore. Miss Granger is right, you can't allow her to teach here again. She'll pass more of those decree things, and after Fudge cancelled all the other ones, she has ways of manipulating -"  
  
"Calm yourself Minerva", said Umbridge in her false sweet voice. " I'm no longer the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. Whatever decisions made in this school will be made by Dumbledore.  
  
"Hmph", said Professor McGonagall disbelievingly, pursing her lips at Umbridge.  
  
"Come now everyone", said Dumbledore, gesturing for Ron and Hermione to sit down at the table. "Let's stop all this nonsense. Professor Umbridge plans to make a formal apology to the whole school during the start of term feast and then she will continue Professor Snape's lessons in the same standard as what Severus would do himself."  
  
"Of course i will Dumbledore", said Umbridge sweetly, giving Snape her frog like smile, which Snape didn't return, prefering to maintain his usual sour look.  
  
Hermione and Ron sat down reluctantly at the table and didn't look a Umbridge while they chose something to eat.  
  
"You know Dumbledore", said Professor McGonagall, chosing a slice of bacon and a goblet of pumpkin juice. "This could be a real oppotunity for us to show how great Hogwarts students are to other school students. We are of course way better than Durmstrang, i mean they don't even have a headmaster.  
  
"Yes Minerva", said Dumbledore, removing his half - moon glasses, taking a handkerchief from the pocket of his robes and rubbing at a spot of dirt on them.  
  
"Headmaster, it is ten o' clock" said Snape softly. "Potter and his friends need to get a move on if they are to prepare for the trip to Egypt."  
  
"Yes Severus you're right."said Dumbledore.. "Harry, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, please follow Professor Snape to his dungeon potions lab please. There are a few potions that he needs to teach you before you go to Egypt."  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione got up from there seats and followed Snape to the Entrance Hall and then down the narrow staircase to where Snape's dungeon classroom was.  
  
"Sit down at this table please", said Snape, pointing to a table right in front of his desk.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione walked over to it and sat down.  
  
Snape waved his wand and three cauldrons, a box of ingredients that contained things that they certainly wouldn't usually use in class, and three rolls of golden parchment appeared on the table in front of them.  
  
"Um, sir", said Hermione timidly. "Why do we have gold parchment with.... oh my."  
  
Hermione had just picked up one of the rolls of parchment, unrolled it, and let the end fall to the ground.  
  
Harry picked up the end of the floor and nearly dropped it again in shock.  
  
The hieroglyphics that Harry had seen in books were all old and tattered, but this parchment looked as if the hieroglyphs had only been printed on that day.  
  
"The Headmaster at Tutankhamen's wishes that the potions that I am about to teach you be wrote on their parchment. He said that it will help you fit in, but with your record for breaking rules Potter, I don't think you'll have any trouble."  
  
Harry glared at Snape for a moment, but felt he had a point. Everything Harry did involved breaking at least one school rule. But it was all for good.  
  
In Harry's first year at Hogwarts, he defeated Voldemort and prevented him from getting the Philosopher's Stone.  
  
In his second year, Harry stopped him from coming back again out of a diary by destroying the diary and the Basilisk, with just a sword and the Sorting Hat to help him.  
  
In his third year, Harry was lead to believe that his godfather Sirius Black had escaped from the wizard prison Azkaban, and was going to kill him. But it turned out that Sirius was trying to protect Harry, and that the person that had betrayed the Potters to Voldemort was Peter Petigrew, or, as he was known at school, Wormtail, for his ability to transform into a rat. The same rat that had belonged to Ron. Ron had been lead to believe that Scabbers was a normal rat, but in their third year, Harry, Ron and Hermione found out all about what had happened and Harry, Ron and Hermione trusted Sirius ever since.  
  
In Harry's fourth year, he found himself competing in the Triwizard Tournament. A dangerous meeting of the three largest wizarding schools in the world, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Beauxbatons Academy for Magic and Durmstrang Wizards School. When Harry went to grab the Triwizard Cup, it had been turned into a portkey, a device that allows you to be transported from one place to another at a certain time. the portkey took Harry to a graveyard, far away from Hogwarts. There, Wormtail took some of Harry's Blood, which was used to finally do what had been attempted for four years. Lord Voldemort had returned. But because it was so rediculous, and Harry was the only one who had seen it, no one believed him, and Harry was labeled a lier and every one was told not to believe a word he says.  
  
And no one did believe him. Until just before Harry left, when Harry lost the thing that was most precious to him in the entire world. The only thing that made his life in Privet Drive happy. While in the Ministry of Magic, in the Department of Mysteries, he was fighting Bellatrix Lestrange, then when he was hit by a particularly strong spell, Sirius Black fell behind the curtain and was lost forever. Harry wanting to avenge his Godfathers death, went after Bellatrix. There in the entrance room of the Ministry of Magic, Harry had come face to face with Lord Voldemort once more, but before he had a chance to do anything, Dumbledore had come along and fought off Voldemort, leaving a very breathless Fudge, who had come along just before Voldemort had disaparated, very speechless indeed.  
  
After that, an article was posted in the Daily Prophet the following day, telling everyone, finally, the truth.  
  
And since then, Harry has been quite miserable because for a fleeting moment, he thought that he had someone he could call family. At least someone in his family who liked him anyway.  
  
"So, what potions are you going to teach us today Professor?", asked Hermione, sensing a need to change the subject before something nasty happens.  
  
"These potions are extremely difficult to make, and you wouldn't have seen anything like them before, as I tend to teach potions like this to NEWT level students. And these potions can also be quite dangerous if not properly brewed. One can shower you with flaming sparks if you add the unicorn hair to early. That is why these potions are found in the Ristricted Section of the library. They were in my office, but Madam Pince, the librarian found out that I had them, and made me give them back".  
  
Harry amused himself for a while as he imagined a extremely angry Madam Pince hitting Snape around the head with a tatty old copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.  
  
"So, straight to work I think", said Snape, and he turned his back on them, and began to write the ingredients on the blackboard.  
  
"Um, sir", said Ron when Snape had finished writing, and set them to work. "These ingredients don't exist do they?"  
  
Harry looked up at the blackboard and saw a very strange array of ingredients that he had never seen before. Some of them were ones he knew, but others were strange. (me:- Here is the recipe the best i could invent)  
  
Tutankhamen School for the Magic Arts and Egyptian Hieroglyphics  
Sixth Year Potions  
  
Potion Name: The Pharoahs Curse. This Potion allows you to communicate with the Headmaster of the school when he isn't around. WARNING do not brew this potion without the potion teachers permission and unless supervised by a qualified ministry official.  
  
Ingredients:-  
  
Couldron full of water from the Nile. One slice of asparagus, soaked in a jar of pickled onions for ten days. Four hairs taken from the mane of a female Unicorn. Six Salamander eggs. One teaspoon of dried and powdered Christmas Beetles. One claw of a Hippogriff that has been coated in honey. One piece of swiss cheese that has been let go blue. One bezoar. Ten lizards hearts. Extra honey to taste.  
  
Harry thought that this was the most unusual potion he had ever made, and the method of doing things was even more strange......  
  
Method:-  
  
Fill your couldron with the water and bring to the boil. Allow to stand until yellow steam starts to form in the air. Add two of the four unicorn hairs and allow to froth, stirring anticlockwise for five minutes. Your potion should now be giving off a green coloured fog:-  
  
Harry looked down at his own potion to see, for the first time ever, doing what it should be doing. It was emitting a green coloured fog, just like the recipe said it should be. He looked over at Hermione's potion to find it doing the same thing, and Ron's was doing something else, and on looking at the blackboard, Harry found out that Ron was ahead of them both, his potion making a faint whistling sound:-  
  
Add the powdered christmas beetles, and DO NOT stir the potion for exactly twenty seconds. By then your potion should have started making a faint whistling noise. Add the salamander eggs one at a time. [Allow thirty stirs in between eggs to allow the yolks in each to be absorbed] Add the lizard hearts and stir until the potion turns bright red. Add the rest of the unicorn hairs. your potion should now be giving off the smell of rotting fish:-  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione had their robes up over their noses because the combination of all three potions made the smell too bad to handle normally:-  
  
Add the asparagus, with some of the liquid from the jar, and stir in a wave pattern for exactly one minute. Add the cheese and the bezoar at the same time, making sure that they hit the potion at exactly the same time [ warning. If this does not happen and one hits before the other, start your potion from the beginning. Otherwise the cheese will make you extremely sick and can be fatal.] Add the Hippogriff claw to the potion, making sure that the sharp point goes in first. Let sit for 20 minutes. Pour potion into a goblet for testing or into a phial for testing elsewhere.  
  
"You will put your potions into phials and they will be tested in Egypt", said Snape from right behind them, making Harry, Ron and Hermione jump.  
  
They put their potions into phials and then Snape waved his wand at the cauldrons and the rest of their potions dissapeared.  
  
"The next potion that you need to learn is the hardest of the two, and therefore, you need a demonstrational lesson", said Snape lazily.  
  
"What does that mean", asked Ron puzzled.  
  
"It means, Mr Weasley, that if you were to pay attention in normal classes, instead of planning your next bout of rule breaking with Potter,you would know that a demonstrational lesson is one that I make the potion with the class so that you don't make useless potions. Like what Mr Longbottom does every day."  
  
Rons ears went red and he busied himself with checking that his cauldron was on the heat properly to distract himself. Hermione was silently fuming as she looked through the ingredients box.  
  
Snape made his way towards his desk. When he had sat down, he waved his wand and another couldron appeared on his desk, along with a second box of potion ingredients.  
  
"Now", said Snape. "This potion has to be exactly accurate, or it will not do what it is supposed to do. This potion acts like an invisibility cloak, but doesn't last as long. It will make you invisible for thirty minutes if properly brewed. If made wrong, it can turn your skin a nasty shade of green, or could set your hair on fire".  
  
And so they started. The potion went well until Ron added the cactus needles too early, and his potion spat bits of cactus all over the room for an hour.  
  
After that there was no more incidents.  
  
"Put a sample of your potion into another phial and bring it up to me with your sample of the pharoahs curse as well", said Snape.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione gave Snape their potions and then went back to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
Those potions were interesting wern't they", said Hermione.  
  
"Hmm", said Harry, walking, but not really looking where he was going and it wasn't until he crashed into a suit of armour, ("eh, watch where your walking idiot") that he was broght back to his senses.  
  
"Are you ok Harry", asked Hermione quietly.  
  
"Yeah, you've been looking a bit down today mate", said Ron.  
  
"What, oh, yes i'm fine", lied Harry.  
  
No he was not fine, he was confused. Why would he get to go to another country, when anyone else here could have gone instead. And been glad to go as well.  
  
"Are you sure Harry", said Hermione timidly. "Are you sure you don't need to see Madam Pomfrey?"  
  
"Yes, quite sure", said Harry, and he continued up the marble staircase, Ron and Hermione followed, looking at each other, thinking the same thing.  
  
This whole thing wasn't going to end well. Not well at all.  
  
well that was chapter four. it is long i know but it had to be because i wanted to involve Snape in this chapter a lot. I also wanted to write a complete potion recipe because i think it would have been cool, so i did it and it took me ages to figure out how i was going to do it. this whole chapter took me about 2 weeks. anyway chapter 5 will be done pretty soon, so don't worry. be happy. he he he. oh and by the way. this chapter is worth seven A4 sized pages. 


	5. Egypt

Chapter Five  
Egypt  
  
A letter arrived for Harry twenty minutes after Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone back to Gryffindor Tower to pack for the trip to Egypt.  
  
"What is that?" asked Ron as Harry tore of the letter from the owls leg.  
  
"Well, judging by the look of the envolope, it is from Tutankhamen's", said Hermione, taking a gold coloured envolope, with the eye of Ra and two gods on either side of the eye, on the back of the envolope from Harry.  
  
"Well that must be the coat of arms", said Hermione, pointing at the Eye.  
  
"What is it?" asked Ron, who, considering he had gone to Egypt a few years ago, had no idea the reason for all the funny pictures.  
  
"Honestly Ron, you of all people should know this," said Hermione annoyed.  
  
"Well I don't", snapped Ron. "Are you going to tell me or not?"  
  
"Hmph," sniffed Hermione. "That thing in the middle that looks like an eye, that is exactly what it is, an eye. It is called the Eye of Ra. In Egypt, Ra is said to be the Sun God,and it was he who gave light to all of Egypt. They gave offerings of food and water to keep him happy so that he didn't take the sun away, because the Ancient Egyptians thought that if Ra was angered, he would take the sun away as punishment, and without sun, they couldn't grow crops. Ra was worshipped the most out of all the gods. The god on the left side of the Eye is Anubis."  
  
"And who is Anubis," asked Ron.  
  
"Just wait I was getting to that", snapped Hermione.  
  
Harry remembered something about the god Anubis that he learned while at Muggle school. Surprisingly, he said it exactly as he remembered it, because he thought he had forgotten almost eveything that Muggle teachers had taught him.  
  
"In Egyptian mythology, Anubis was the god of the dead."  
  
"Well done Harry", said Hermione. "How did you remember that?"  
  
"I did Ancient Egypt at muggle school", said Harry shrugging.  
  
"Well what else do you know", asked Hermione.  
  
"Um, let me think", said Harry frowning.  
  
"Anubis was considered to be the inventor of embalming, a process that was used to preserve the mummies. He was also the guardian of tombs, and a judge of the dead.  
  
"Spooky", said Ron.  
  
Harry carried on. Now that he had started, he found it difficult to stop.  
  
"The ancient Egyptians believed that Anubis stood at the gates to the Afterlife, where he weighed the person's heart against the Feather of Truth. If the heart and the feather balanced, the person was worthy to enter the afterlife. Anubis's head was represented as a Jackel."  
  
"Very good Harry", said Hermione, rather impressed.  
  
"The god on the right side is Osiris. He was said to be the first ever to be mummified", said Hermione, pointing at the second god.  
  
"Osiris was the god of the underworld, ruler of the dead, and he - oh no".  
  
"What", said Harry and Ron together.  
  
"The page is missing", said Hermione, showing them the book that she was reading the information out of. "The only other part that i can tell you is that before Osiris was sent to the underworld, he was killed by his brother Set."  
  
"Will all this information be any use when we go to Tutankhamen's later today", asked Ron.  
  
"Well, i don't know. I heard that what we will do there is basically what we do here at Hogwarts", said Hermione shrugging.  
  
They spent the rest of the day talking about what interesting things they might be learning at Tutankhamen's and played a few games of exploding snap when Hermione said: "Harry, didn't that envolope have a letter in it?"  
  
Harry looked at the envolope and saw that it was a large envolope that oviously has a letter in it. Or several. Harry picked up the envolope and tore it open, pulling out the same type of parchment that he, Ron and Hermione had used to copy down the potions earlier that day.  
  
The letter read:-  
  
Dear Mr Harry James Potter,  
  
My name is Professor Karnac, and I am the Headmaster of the Tutankhamen School for the Magic Arts and Egyptian Hieroglyphics.  
  
While you are here, you will be taught all the values that the ancient civilisation of Egypt has pressed upon all of us.  
  
You will be taught how to write things in Ancient Egyptian, using the secret art of Hieroglyphs. You will also learn how to read hieroglyphs by studying Ancient Egyptian texts.  
  
You will brew potions that help us to learn the ways of the gods and learn what life was like back in ancient times with our agriculture section in the school grounds. We are the only school around that studies the way people lived back in ancient times in such detail. Even you at Hogwarts will only learn what they did by using books.  
  
I hope that you will enjoy your stay and represent your school as best as you can be. Looking forward to seeing you here.  
  
Yours sincerly, Professor Akuba Karnac. Headmaster. Egyptian Order of Merlin First Class.  
  
"Oh, that sounds really interesting", said Hermione, with a look of awe on her face, as she thought about how wonderful it will be to actually act like an ancient egyptian.  
  
"Blimey, look at this list", said Ron, who had picked up the envolope and had taken out another piece of parchment that had a list of set books and equipment.  
  
Tutankhamen School for the Magic Arts  
and Egyptian Hieroglyphics.  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Exchange Students Uniform:-  
  
Sixth year students from Hogwarts will require these items:-  
  
1. Three sets of red robes (these are available at Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions in Diagon Alley, or else use plain black robes with the schools coat of arms stitched in gold thread on the back).  
  
2. One spare hat (red) for use in the grounds.  
  
3. One set of Gardening Gloves (cotton or similar) for use in agriculture class.  
  
4. One pair of sunglasses (in case of sand storms).  
  
School books:-  
  
All students should have a copy of each of these books:-  
  
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six, by Miranda Goshawk  
  
Advanced Transfiguration, by Emeric Switch  
  
A Beginner's Guide to Reading Hieroglyphics, by Jason Truitt  
  
Foreign Languages Made Easy, by Artemis Bloomsbury  
  
Gardening Like A Muggle, by Jonathon Bidwill  
  
Additional Equipment:-  
  
One silver spoon, enchanted with an anti - poison charm  
  
One set of solid gold scales (available for renting at the school)  
  
Students are reminded that the start of term feast will be in the Dining Chamber, not in the Main Hall because of special circumstances regarding Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
"Geez, this place sounds really exclusive", said Ron, scratching his head nervously.  
  
"Hmm, but I didn't think that a school would ever include a pair of sunglasses as a part of the uniform", said Hermione, frowning down at the list.  
  
"It says right there", said Ron, pointing to the part of the list that had the sunglasses. "The sunglasses are used for sandstorms, but i'll be using them all the time. The sun is really bright in Egypt".  
  
"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING", came the shout of Lucius Malfoy. "THE PLAN CAN'T PROCEED NOW".  
  
"What is it father", said Draco Malfoy. Malfoy had been practising duelling in the specially made duelling room when Mr. Malfoy had shouted. Mr. Malfoy was in his study, Bellatrix Lestrange's head sitting in the fire.  
  
"Potter isn't going to be at Hogwarts for most of this term", said Mr. Malfoy, having trouble containing his anger.  
  
"Oh excellent", said Malfoy, a smile crossing his pale face. The Ministry must have finally expelled him, without question.  
  
"Dumbledore sent him to Tutankhamen's", said Mr. Malfoy.  
  
"Not excellent", said Malfoy, the smile falling from his face.  
  
"No, not excellent", said Mr. Malfoy, slamming the point of a letter opener into his desk.  
  
"This is a very big problem lucius", said Bellatrix, her head rippling in the heat of the flames. "With Potter gone, and under the protection of such powerful magic, the plan is as good as dead. Dumbledore must have found out somehow. Lord Voldemort isn't going to be pleased".  
  
"No, he isn't", said Mr. Malfoy. "What I would like to know is how he found out about the plan in the first place".  
  
"Maybe it was Severus -"  
  
"Snape wouldn't be stupid enough to show his face to Lord Voldemort, after he betrayed him him before his downfall", snarled Mr. Malfoy.  
  
"Yes, of course, but who else could have given Dumbledore the plan", asked Bellatrix.  
  
"I'm not sure", said Mr. Malfoy, shaking his head. "Whoever it was, must have told Dumbledore everything, or Dumbledore wouldn't have sent Potter to Karnac's school. When Lord Voldemort finds out, he will treat all the death eaters, including us, as suspects".  
  
"Yes I know that", said Bellatrix.  
  
"I could do a bit of digging when I go back to Hogwarts in September", said Draco. "See what I can find out about this whole thing".  
  
"No, that's too far away", said Mr. Malfoy. "By that time, the boy would have learned enough to destroy al least half of us. No, it's too risky, we have to act now".  
  
"I'll tell Lord Voldemort the news then shall I?", asked Bellatrix.  
  
"Yes, and report back to me what he says", said Mr. Malfoy. "He may want to continue with the plan another way".  
  
Malfoy returned to the duelling room, and blasted a wooden statue, with a face of Harry Potter taped to the head. With any luck the plan would succeed, and Harry Potter will be gone for good. It was only a matter of time before Malfoy heard about poor, famous, Harry Potter for the last time. Malfoy smiled as he blasted another wooden Harry Potter statue, bits of wood flying everywhere.  
  
Packed, and ready to leave, Harry, Ron and Hermione dragged their trunks down the marble staircase and into the Entrance Hall, then Ron and Harry went back up to Gryffindor Tower to get the cages that held their owls, Hedwig and Pig. Crookshanks, Hermione's ginger cat had followed her down the stairs.  
  
"Well, this is it", said Dumbledore, who was standing by the oak front doors, that lead out into the castle grounds. Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were standing next to Dumbledore, McGonagall had tears in her eyes, and Snape was sneering at Harry.  
  
"Those trunks are no doubt heavy, and I expect you would like some help", said Dumbledore, gesturing to their trunks on the floor. Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded vigourously.  
  
Dumbledore smiled, then he clapped his hands three times. There was a small rustling sound from behind Harry, Ron and Hermione, and as they turned around, twelve house-elves ran towards Dumbledore, the males bowing, and the girls curtsying.  
  
"These students would like some help with their luggage", said Dumbledore", pointing towards Harry, Ron and Hermione.  
  
The house-elves bowed and curtsyed again, then rushed up to the trunks and, four to a trunk, they lifted their trunks out into the grounds, where a beautiful persian rug was sitting in mid-air right outside the door.  
  
"Can Dobby do anything else for Harry Potter and his friends", came the voice of Dobby the house elf.  
  
"No Dobby, it's fine", said Harry, but before he could do anything, or say anything else, the house-elves had lifted their trunks onto the carpet, Hermione spluttering hurriedly that there was no need to help her, and she was quite sure that she could lift the trunk herself, but the house-elves took no notice.  
  
"How's Winky", asked Hermione, once her trunk was on the carpet and the house-elves were standing next to Dumbledore, awaiting further instructions.  
  
"Not good miss", said Dobby, his large green eyes full of sadness.  
  
"Winky still blames herself for Mr. Crouch being dead, even though Dobby keeps telling her that it isn't her fault, that it is He Who Must Not Be Named that is too be blamed".  
  
"Is she still going on about that, it was over two years ago", said Ron.  
  
"Winky is getting so bad that the other house-elves have ordered Dobby to take Winky out of the kitchens", said Dobby sadly.  
  
"No, what will you do with her?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Dobby doesn't know miss", said Dobby. "Dobby must be putting Winky into the Room of Requirement until Dobby knows what to do. Dobby is hoping that Winky will see sense and stop drinking so much butterbeer."  
  
"Hello Hagrid", said Hermione, and Harry looked up, into the shaggy face of Hagrid, the Hogwarts Gamekeeper.  
  
"Ello Hermione, Harry, Ron", said Hagrid. "Thought I had better come'n see ya all off".  
  
"Thanks Hagrid", said Harry.  
  
"Where's Professor Umbridge?" asked Hermione, suddenly looking around the grounds.  
  
"Professor Umbridge fancied staying indoors today, after what happened the last time she was here", said Dumbledore, with a hint of amusement in his calm voice.  
  
"Y'all right Harry?" asked Hagrid.  
  
"Yep, fine", replied Harry grinning.  
  
"Good. I'll be up at Tutankhamen's later in tha year meself to check up on yeh, make sure yer getten along'n everything", said Hagrid. "But don't say anythin bout it, Dumbledore said not te say anythin",  
  
"Ok then", whispered Harry.  
  
"Um, excuse me Dumbledore sir, but I must say that if we don't go now, young Mr.Potter and his friends will be late", said the man on the carpet.  
  
"Yes, Severus, are you ready?" said Dumbledore.  
  
"Yes Headmaster", said Snape.  
  
"Farewell Harry Potter", said Dobby.  
  
"Bye Dobby", said Harry.  
  
"See yer Harry", said Hagrid, grinning.  
  
"See you", said Harry, returning the grin.  
  
"Lets be gone now please", snarled Snape, as four house-elves heaved Snape's trunk onto the carpet, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Snape getting on after it.  
  
"Take care", said Dumbledore, and with a wave of his wand, the carpet jerked, and was speeding away from Hogwarts towards the mountains surrounding the castle.  
  
About an hour after they had left the mountains around Hogwarts behind them, they were flying across ocean and finally, someone spoke. It was Hermione.  
  
"Um, Professor, do you think that Professor Dumbledore was wise in letting Umbridge teach your classes?"  
  
Dolores Umbridge is an able bodied teacher who I am sure will teach my students the exact way that I would teach them myself", Snape sneered. "It is not you place Miss Granger, to be critisising teachers after what you and Potter have displayed in my classes".  
  
"Professor Snape sir, we are comming up on the Egyptian coastline now", said the man who was driving the carpet (so to speak).  
  
"Thank you", said Snape, who was now rumaging in his robes, then pulled out his wand.  
  
Everyone must be touching the carpet", said Snape sharply. "You must have a part of your skin touching the material, a finger will do".  
  
Harry put his hands onto the carpet. It felt smooth and silky, just like his invisibility cloak.  
  
"Is everyone touching the carpet? Mr. Weasley, do not put your hand over the edge of the carpet, stupid boy".  
  
Snape put the tip of his wand on a gold stitched Eye of Ra on the left-hand corner of the carpet, and muttered, lumesros.  
  
Firstly, nothing happened, then Harry felt all funny, then he looked at his hands, and nearly fell of the carpet in shock.  
  
The carpet, Harry's legs, and his hands had disappeared, it looked as though he was floating in mid-air.  
  
"Do not move a muscle", said Snape sharply. "This carpet is bewitched with an anti-muggle detection jinx. " We are undetectable by muggle sonar and radar, but all the same, KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE CARPET WEASLEY". Snape jabbed his wand in the air at Ron, and Ron's hands, automatically, as if stuck by glue, snapped onto the carpet.  
  
Harry braved a look over the edge of the carpet, and was overtaken by awe. The site that met his eyes was the most beautiful thinghe had ever seen in his life.  
  
The Pyramids of Giza rose up beneath him. The Great Pyramid was so high that the carpet had to rise a few feet, or they would be smooshed onto the side of it.  
  
"There it is", said the carpet driver.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up and gasped.  
  
A large pyramid rose up from the horizon, made of solid gold, and with Egyptian Hieroglyphics and engravings all around the outside. The grounds were just as beautiful, with topiary figures of all the egyptian gods scattered around the grounds. Close to the Nile River, animals were running in the muddy soil, and plants of all kinds were scattered around the farm designed Herbology area, two small greenhouses five feet away for, Harry figured, for the dangerous plants.  
  
They landed by the main stairs, and instantly became visable again, and, with a lot of trouble, they all heaved their trunks into the Entrance Chamber.  
  
The Entrance Chamber was just as spectacular as the outside. It was brightly lit with torches all around the room. The ceiling was covered with paintings, that, Hermione figured, were stories of how the school came to exist. On their left there was a lot of loud voices, and Harry thought that everyone must already be in there, waiting for the four of them to introduce themselves.  
  
The double doors, also made of gold, has a large eye in the middle of them.  
  
"Oh, there you are, thank goodness your here", came a voice from there right.  
  
Harry turned his head just in time to see a tall man wearing green robes emerge from a room, the stone door sliding back into place.  
  
"Severus, nice to see you again, how are you", said the man.  
  
"Fine, thank you ", snape replied sneering.  
  
"So we have". The man wearing the green robes consulted a list he was carrying and read the names of as he looked around the hall.  
  
"Ah, we have Miss Granger. Says here you are quite bright. Got four hundred and fifteen per cent on your transfiguration exam last year. and four O.W.L's as well. Very impressive, very impressive indeed.  
  
Hermione's face turned scarlet, and she busied herself looking for Crookshanks's chew toy.  
  
"And here we have Mr Ronald Weasley. Welcome back to Egypt Mr Weasley. I hope your stay this time is as good as your last.  
  
Ron went scarlet too and decided to examine the paintings on the ceiling in more detail.  
  
"And then we have Mr Harry Potter". The man did the usual eye flick to the scar on his forehead, but luckly for Harry, his fringe had grown quite a bit and the only way someone would be able to see his scar was if he was to stand on his head. He liked it when no one could see the scar, so he decided to leave his fringe long. Of course, Madame Pomfrey asked Harry almost every time he walked past the hospital wing if she wanted it cut.  
  
"Deputy Headmaster Evans", came a voice from behind them. "The camels have stampeaded down the fence and now all the animals are in the lettuce patch. One horse is in greenhouse one, trying to eat a Mandrake."  
  
"Good lord, sorry, have to run", said Professor Evans, heading for the doors to the grounds. "Those Mandrakes have reached the point of death. If I don't do something now, the entire care of magical creatures class will drop dead. Severus, tell the headmaster the situation and he will continue without me. Just knock on the doorand it will open by itself.  
  
And he was gone. Snape looked out after him sourly.  
  
"Never one to do things the easy way. Come now. Mr Weasley, must I always keep an eye on you."  
  
They walked up to the doube doors and Snape knocked in a rather peculiar way.  
  
"Enter friends", came a voice from within.  
  
The door opened itself, and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Snape made their way up the isles of tables, packed with students.  
  
Unknown to Harry, but there was an unwanted guest sitting at one of those tables. Someone who wasn't who they would seem to be.  
  
That person, was a Death Eater.  
  
Phew, finished finally. hope you all wern't dieing, waiting for me to update but i was having complaints that my chapters wern't long enough, so i wrote as much as i could in this one, without dipping into chapters 6 and 7. most of this chapter near the end wasn't even in my plan that i wrote. anyway. in hope to do chapter 6 soon. hope you enjoyed chapter 5 everyone.  
  
hey everyone.  
  
listen, im having problems figuring out names for my houses in my story, and oviously, i can't have gryffindor, hufflepuff and all those, so i need you to help me and give me some of your ideas on what the house names should be. i will gladly give you credit for your help at the beginning of the chapter. my email address is in my profile, and if you can't find it, just go to search, and type Umbridgehater for my pen name, or just put it as a review, actually, it would be better as a review. hope to hear from you and to use your ideas. writers block sucks. and if you have any ideas on what i should write later in the story, i would like to hear them, and you will also get credit for your help for that too. i await your ideas for house names and hat they do. also for the other ideas you may have. 


	6. Whispers In The Corridors

Chapter Six  
Whispers In The Corridors  
  
Harry stood at the top of the room, looking out at the students that went to the school. They were all wearing the same coloured robes, but all the tables were wearing different stitching on the back of their robes.  
  
"Ah, the Hogwarts students", said the man in the middle of the table behind Harry. He was sitting in a chair that was made entirely out of carved stone, with Egyptian paintings all around it.  
  
"Good afternoon Professor Karnac", said Snape, with a slight sneer on his pale face.  
  
"Well, this is a wonderful day for us all", said Professor Karnac beaming.  
  
"Yes, I suppose you could say that if you want", muttered Snape.  
  
"Students of Tutankhamen school for the Magic Arts and Egyptian Hieroglyphics", said Professor Karnac loudly to the whole hall. "Welcome our guest students of the year. As you all know, Durmstrang has been temporarily closed down while they find a new headmaster, so we needed a school that was willing to lend us a few of their brightest students, so they could learn all about us, and tell us about what they do themselves, at their school."  
  
Bright? Ha, thought Harry. Now he knew that Dumbledore must have mixed his exam results with Hermione's. Harry always said he was about a smart as a potato doing a dance to the Hogwarts school song, even if he got good marks or not.  
  
"So, after much searching, I received a letter from Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry telling me that he has three students that fit the criteria that I wanted in foreign students, so he sent these three students."  
  
Professor Karnac picked up a piece of parchment and read out what was written on it to the whole school.  
  
"Firstly, we have Miss Hermione Granger", said Professor Karnac looking over at Hermione, and she beamed at the sound of her name.  
  
"Yes, I have heard some very interesting things about you Miss Granger. According to this, you have scored the highest exam mark four years in a row, and you broke the school record for the highest mark for a Defence Against the Dark Arts Exam last year by scoring nine hundred and forty three per cent, absolutely shattering the previous record of two hundred and twenty two, set by Charlie Weasley."  
  
Hermione and Harry looked at each other, but looked away quickly, because they both knew that it was the DA that helped with that exam result.  
  
And we have Mr. Ronald Weasley, who, oh, well, we won't go into what he did. All you need to know is that is has something to do with a giant chess set."  
  
Ron turned a nasty shade of green, and looked away from them all.  
  
"Oh, and we have our guest of honour. Ladies and gentleman please put your hands together for the one person to have escaped him, the one person to have ever duelled him, the one person to have ever seen him return. Make welcome... HARRY POTTER!"  
  
Harry was expecting this. Instead of clapping, they just started whispering amongst one another, and some were pointing at him, pointing towards where his scar would be. Harry was really getting sick of this, and was glad for his fringe being long, otherwise they would be standing up and coming over to get a closer look.  
  
"Mr Potter doesn't need to be introduced, after all, we all know who he is and what he did", said Professor Karnac happily.  
  
"Well, all that needs to be done is for you three to be resorted. It is a lot like the way you were sorted at Hogwarts when you were in first year, so there is nothing to worry about", said Professor Karnac. "All we need to do is wait for Professor Evans. Where is he Severus"?  
  
"He went out to fix the Mandrakes up, because there was an animal in the greenhouse or some nonsense like that", said Snape sourly.  
  
"Oh, well we had better wait for him then", said Professor Karnac softly.  
  
Five minutes past and still Professor Evans hadn't returned, and Professor Karnac was about to send someone to go help him when he came barging into the hall, dirt all over his face, looking as if he had run a marathon. On his way up to the head table, he tripped over his own feet and fell face first onto the floor.  
  
"Oh my", said Hermione putting her hands over her mouth.  
  
"Professor Evans, are you alright?" asked Professor Karnac.  
  
"Er, yes i, owch, am", said Professor Evans, getting up off the floor and limping up to Professor Karnac.  
  
"Good, well we needed you to set up the sorting for the Hogwarts students", said Professor Karnac calmly. This man reminded Harry so much of Dumbledore, that he was picturing it was Dumbledore sitting in the chair in front of him.  
  
"Hogwarts? Oh yes, the exchange students Dumbledore sent. I will be right back."  
  
And he walked out of the hall and into a side chamber that was joined to the dining chamber.  
  
As Harry was looking around at the students, a sharp pain shot through his scar. Harry put his hand up to his forehead and screwed his eyes up in pain.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?" asked Hermione carefully, because Harry was likely to explode if asked that these days.  
  
"Yes, i'm fine", said Harry. The pain was gone as quickly as it had come. When he looked at the students behind him they were pointing and whispering again.  
  
Harry didn't know what had caused the sudden pain in his scar, but all he could hope was that it didn't involve Voldemort.  
  
"Yes Lucius, the plan will go ahead as planned".  
  
Lucius Malfoy was sitting in his study doing paperwork for the Ministry, when Lord Voldemort's head appeared in the fire.  
  
"MASTER, I didn't see you there", said Mr. Malfoy, scattering papers everywhere.  
  
"Yes, of course you didn't", said Voldemort smugly.  
  
"Master, should you be using Floo Powder, after all, the Ministry would be watching the networks-"  
  
"I have my ways of using fires without the need for Floo powder", interupted Voldemort.  
  
"So, you wish the plan to go ahead master?" said Mr. Malfoy.  
  
"Yes, I do, but it has to be altered, now that muggle loving fool Dumbledore has sent the boy to Karnac's good for nothing school. I mean, what interested him to be headmaster of something rediculous as that, I will never know."  
  
"I have no idea either," said Mr. Malfoy.  
  
"No, of course you don't, your not always around. ive come by here four times this week and you havn't been home. So, where have you been then?"  
  
Voldemort stared at Mr. Malfoy through his cat-like eyes. Even though Mr. Malfoy was a death eater, Voldemort still though of him as a betrayer to him.  
  
"I have been doing things for the Ministry Master", said Mr, Malfoy. "I still need to make sure that they don't think that I have gone back to you. If Fudge found out that I was still serving you, he would throw me into Azkaban so fast-"  
  
"Calm yourself Lucius", said Voldemort. "If that lame excuse for a Minister for Magic was to put you in Azkaban, i would get you straight bak out of there. Fudge will not always have full co-operation of the Dementors."  
  
"Yes Master", said Mr. Malfoy, sitting down at his desk again.  
  
"Now Lucius, to tell you the plan, we need a bit of help, so stand back, and cover any valubles that you don't want dirty."  
  
Voldemort's head dissapeared, then there was a flash of green fire, and Voldemort's whole body appeared in Mr. Malfoy's Study.  
  
"Now that I am here, we can start", said Voldemort. He waved his wand, and a large holographic diagram appeared in the room, showing a three dimensional picture of five pyramids. A gold one, silver one, bronze one, crimson one and a black marble one. Each of them stood, at a guess, about as tall as the Great Pyramid, and were spaced at great distances from each other. At least a couple of miles from each other.  
  
"Master, what are those?" asked Mr. Malfoy, looking around his study at the pyramids.  
  
"They are pyramids Lucius, what do they look like?", said Voldemort smugly.  
  
"Yes, they are, but what do they mean?" said Lucius Malfoy, almost losing his temper, but managing to control himself.  
  
"They mean, that if you ever speak to me like that again, you will be doing your paperwork for the ministry in St. Mungo's", said Voldemort fiercly.  
  
"My appologies", said Mr. Malfoy.  
  
"Good. Now I will tell you the significance of these pyramids", said Voldemort, turning to the pyramids. "These Pyramids are the five Pyramids of Furmat".  
  
Mr. Malfoy almost fell of his chair. "T-the Pyramids of Furmat Master? Arn't they just a myth?"  
  
"If they were a myth, why would I be showing them to you as part of the plan" said Voldemort.  
  
Mr. Malfoy thought it best to keep his mouth shut and just listen from now on, only talking when spoken to.  
  
"Thats better", said Voldemort. Now I will tell you what these pyramids have to do with the plan.  
  
"Karnac is planning to take the Potter boy to the Pyramids some time later this year. My faithful servent that I have placed at Karnac's school make sure that nothing will go wong with the plan.  
  
Mr. Malfoy couldn't help but doubt. The last time one of Voldemort's 'faithful servents' went undercover for him, the death eater had been exposed and a dementor had administered it's deadly kiss, sucking his soul out of his mouth.  
  
"Well, I must be off, lots to do. Good evening Lucius".  
  
And with a small pop, Voldemort vanished.  
  
Mr. Malfoy went back to his paperwork, hoping that whoever was in charge of this whole operation, didn't stuff up.  
  
Five minutes past and still Professor Evans hadn't returned from the side chamber. When he did return, he was carrying a stool in one hand, and a pair of gold scales and a feather in the other.  
  
After placing the stool in front of Professor Karnac, put the scales on top of it, put the feather on the left hand scale, then Professor Evans took his seat next to Professor Karnac.  
  
A few minutes after that, a gold feather appeared in front of Karnac, followed by a bright light.  
  
After the light had dissapeared, Harry looked up to see the old Hogwarts Sorting Hat Sitting on the Table, in front of Karac.  
  
It sat completley still, then all of a sudden, the brim opened up, and the hat began to sing:-  
  
" One day in ancient times,  
  
About four thousand years ago.  
  
There lived a wizard called king Tut,  
  
Who was also the countries Pharoh.  
  
He ruled over all the land, and never did a thing wrong,  
  
But still he was murdered, wearing only one thong.  
  
Now this school that we see before us is a reminder of the king,  
  
The headmaster told from all the rest, wearing the sacred ring.  
  
Now this school called Tutankhamens, a school for magical learning,  
  
Has been offered guests of honour three, to prove that we are yerning.  
  
To learn the ways of the people, and to do what was done,  
  
But this school is different, a lot different to the Hogwarts one.  
  
At Hogwarts we have Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin,  
  
And then we have old Gryffindor, the prize among the bretherin.  
  
But here at tut's school, we have something quite different,  
  
Their houses are named after gods,  
  
Some worshipped more than a Griffrent.  
  
Firstly we have Horus, a highly praised god,  
  
Where students do their very best, to put peas back in the pod.  
  
Then we have Anubis, where the students are good at potions,  
  
The softly bubbling couldron is all that they need in motion.  
  
And of course, we have Osirus, a god with adoration,  
  
The students who get chosen for it, are warmed with consideration.  
  
And finally, we have the House of Ra, the prize among the rest,  
  
Who always strive to try their hardest, to always be the best.  
  
So whatever you do, don't be afraid, and please don't be upset,  
  
Cause if you do, i woun't be here, to teach this in a bet.  
  
The entire room clapped loudly after the hat had finished and the hat bowed to them once, then went completely still again.  
  
"Well done. Well, I must say, that was most entertaining", said Professor Karnac smiling broadly. "And now, the moment we have all been waiting for. Let the sorting begin."  
  
As soon as Professor Karnac had said these words, the scales started to glow with a golden light. It lasted for about three minutes until the glow was gone, and a smooth and calming voice came from the scales and said:- Mr Ronald Weasley.  
  
"Up you go Mr. Weasley", said Professor Karnac happily.  
  
Ron, shaking, went up the small step in front of him and stood next to the scales.  
  
"Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you", said Professor Karnac, putting a hand to his forehead. "You put your wand onto the scale that is empty".  
  
Ron put his hand into his pocket and pulled out his wand, then placed it onto the scale. It immediatley balanced on its tip and glowed slightly red.  
  
A large holographic picture of the god Anubis materialised before their eyes, staring down at Ron with its dog-like eyes. Ron took a small step back, a slight green tinge in his cheeks.  
  
Anubis considered Ron for a moment, then pointed a long finger towards the table at the far end of the chamber.  
  
"Comgratulations Mr. Weasley", said Professor Karnac brightly. "You have been selected to join the house of Ra, our most prized students in the whole school".  
  
Many of the students from other houses scowled up at Karnac.  
  
"My appologies students, you are all prized among my company."  
  
Professor Karnac made a small smile that Harry couldn't work out, but it made him feel slightly uneasy somehow.  
  
After Ron had been ushered to his seat by one of the prefects in Ra, the scales started to glow again. "Miss Hermione Granger".  
  
Hermione, trembling, walked up to the scalesand put her wand into the empty one, just as Ron had done.  
  
The hologram of Anubis appeared once more, and pointed to the same table that it had done for Ron.  
  
"Congratulations Miss Granger. You too have been selected to join the house of Ra. Please take your seat among your classmates."  
  
Hermione walked with the prefect to a seat next to Ron.  
  
"We'll cross our fingers", Hermione mouthed to Harry, telling Harry that they are hoping that Harry gets chosen for Ra as well.  
  
Finally the scales glowed once more, and the voice called: "Mr Harry Potter".  
  
Harry walked up to the scales and put his wand on it. The hologram of Anubis looked directly into Harry's eyes, making Harry feel very uneasy.  
  
It looked around the room at all the tables until finally its head came to a rest at the table directly in front of it. Anubis smiled slighly, and pointed to that table, then it vanished with a small pop, which Harry thought was wierd because it never made a popping sound for Ron or Hermione.  
  
"Congratulations Harry", beamed Professor Karnac. "You have been selected to join the house of Anubis. A house you should be very proud to be in".  
  
A tall, stocky boy with blonde hair and thin, oval shaped glasses got out of his seat and walked over to Harry.  
  
"Over here Potter", said the boy gesturing to the table where a seat was empty right next to the boy.  
  
"Never mind Harry", said Hermione as Harry passed the table Ron and Hermione were sitting at. "We are sure to have some classes together".  
  
"Yeah, don't worry about it mate", said Ron grinning.  
  
Harry grinned back and sat in the empty seat. Almost immediatley every face at the table was staring at him.  
  
"Oi, leave him alone", said the prefect sternly. "How would you like it if people started goggling at you all the time? Don't you think he has had enough of this over the years?  
  
"Thanks", said Harry when everyone was looking at Karnac again.  
  
"Ah, it was nothing", said the prefect. "I just fancied you had had enough of people staring at that scar".  
  
"Yeah, it does get annoying".  
  
"Oh, by the way, my name is Jake Evans. My Dad is the deputy headmaster here. We moved to Egypt from London two years ago. I miss Hogwarts though".  
  
"You went to Hogwarts?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yeah, I managed to do my O.W.Ls but because we went to another country I had to repeat the fifth year so I did my O.W.Ls twice. Did better the second time round too, but im still only in the sixth year. I was one year ahead of you until I moved here. Dad could have gotten a job at Toadstools, but no, he likes to go for the big places."  
  
"Whats Toadstools?", Harry asked.  
  
"Oh it's another school in England. It's not as popular as Hogwarts is, and not as big either, but it gets really good reviews in Wizarding Schools of the World. It even got on the same page as Hogwarts this year.  
  
Jake picked up a magazine of the table and passed it to Harry. Below a picture of Hogwarts was a picture of a small castle with flags at the top of each tower. It wasn't nearly as big as Hogwarts, but was still really inviting. Harry looked at the picture of Hogwarts for a while until the room went silent again and Harry looked up to find Professor Karnac standing up.  
  
"Well, all I can say is, enjoy", said Professor Karnac. "Oh, and yes, you can sit anywhere you like".  
  
Nothing happened for a while, then a fine, bright red sand started to fall onto the tables, which almost immediatley turned into platters of food. Steak and chops, roast chickens and chicken pieces, including drumsticks and wings, crumbed and plain, English sausages, flavoured sausages and even Australian sausages, kippers, lamb roasts and racks of lamb, pies of all kinds, and as a surprise, a serving of lasania for each, that was said to have a special ingredient that helped you to sleep when you called for it.  
  
After the food had turned to sand again, it became deserts. Ice Cream of all kinds you can think of, including all those favourites everyone loves, chocolate pudding and custard, all different flavours of jelly (Jello for you Americans because you call it that), apple pies and cream that changed colour, and almost the entire London bakery.  
  
Once everyone had eaten all they could, the rest of the food became sand again, and floated back up to the ceiling.  
  
"Well, I think it is time for everyone to get off to bed", said Professor Karnac softly. "Prefects, will you be right in taking our guests to the house common rooms?"  
  
"Yes headmaster", said a tall black haired girl sitting at the table Ron and Hermione were sitting at.  
  
"Good, how about you Mr. Evans?"  
  
"Yes sir, it will be no problem at all", said Jake loudly, standing up and putting a closed fist up to his chest on the position of where his heart would be. Everyone else in the room stood, and did the same, while Harry, Ron and Hermione looked around at everyone, clearly confused about this strange gesture.  
  
"Come on Harry, I'll show you where your staying", said Jake as everyone filed out of chamber and headed in different directions.  
  
"I thought that this school didn't have dormitories", said Harry.  
  
"Yeah, so did I, but the school built little apartments for everyone to sort of live in while we are here, so it's kinda true", said Jake grinning. "But because your not a permanant student here, and because all the sixth year apartments are being used, the three of you have to share with one of us, and because your in my house, you will be sharing with me. It's strange really, it's as if Karnac knew that you were going to be in my house. It's scary how much alike he is with Dumbledore."  
  
They walked through many passageways and behind a few tapistrys, and after about five minutes, Harry had the impression that they were going underground because the ground seemed to be sloping downwards. Finally they came to a stop in front of a stone door that had a kartush in the middle.  
  
"Never could understand this infernal language really", said Jake angryly. "So I just changed the language and the password,and now i'm right. You should have seen me the first time I tryed to get in here. It took me an hour before my dad got here to let me in. Thank the muggles for inventing mobile phones otherwise I would have had to spend the night out here in the corridor, and that's not pretty."  
  
"How come?" asked Harry who had no idea why a harmless corridor would scare someone so easily.  
  
"Well, the rumours are that at night, when all the torches are extinguished, the corridors whisper to each other, whisper secrets and spells. Not something anyone would like to here on the way to the bathroom at one o' clock in the morning."  
  
Jake turned back to the door and said " Well we had better get inside or we may find ourselves getting into trouble for being out after dark".  
  
Jake turned back to face the door, took out a red coloured wand and uttered a very complicated spell. Harry looked at the door and saw it opening out to a large square room filled with candles and a roaring fire in a fireplace on the far side of the wall. Two large beds were put in the room. The one closest to the fire was a four poster bed that looked oddly like the bed Harry slept in at Hogwarts. In fact, it was the bed Harry slept in at Hogwarts.  
  
"Headmasters instructions", said Jake smiling. "Headmaster Karnac thought that you would be more comfortable if you slept in your own bed, so he sent an owl to Dumbledore asking if he could borrow your bed, and this morning I came in here and found the bed here."  
  
"Er, thanks", said Harry, slightly confused, but happy to see something familiar. Not that he was unhappy to be away from Hogwarts, at least he woun't have to look at Malfoy's smug face for a while.  
  
"Well, er, come in Harry", said Jake, turning bright red. "Im sorry, I just havn't had someone to share a room with for a while, especially not someone like you".  
  
Harry stepped into the room and was instantly warmed from head to foot, because the corridors were so cold. Harry went straight to his bed, pulled the hangings all the way around, and started to get changed into his pyjamas. Just as Harry was pulling his arm through his sleeve, a small sound like a bell chim rang out and Harry heard Jake open the door, then some small muttering, then Jake closed the door again.  
  
"Er, Harry, I have something here for you", said Jake.  
  
"Yes, it's all right, im dressed", said Harry, opening the hangings.  
  
Jake handed him a small piece of parchment that had some strange writing on it.  
  
"Er, Jake", Harry asked loudly. "What is this supposed to be exactly.  
  
"Oh, it's your timetable, hang on, i'll fix it up for you".  
  
Harry handed Jake the parchment, and Jake muttered, Languagis Englaro. The symbols scrambled around a bit, before comming together to form words that were written in english.  
  
"Thanks", said Harry, putting his timetable into a draw next to his bed. "I would have never been able to get to class trying to read those symbols."  
  
"Yeah, i know what you mean, I had a whole lot of problems getting to classes when i first got here", said Jake grinning. "It seems I wasn't the only one either, but we found a spell in a book that told us how to change writing into english, and now all timetables are in english. Except for the new ones of course. The headmaster still insists on printing the timetables in Ancient Egyptian, he says it will help us to learn, but i mean to say, how are we to learn if we don't know where to go."  
  
"Well I think I had better get to bed", said Harry starting to get under the covers.  
  
"Yes Harry, good idea, we have a big day tommorrow with the start of term", said Jake, walking over to the large lamp and extinguishing it, leaving the only light comming from the roaring fire.  
  
Harry laid there in bed for a while, thinking over in his head about what had happened the past few weeks, until finally he drifted off to sleep.  
  
Harry was in a large room full of glass objects on shelves. He was walking down one of the isles, searching for something, but he couldn't remember what. Then the room dissolved and everything went black, then it came back again. But it was a different room. The same room that Bellatrix Lestrange killed Sirius. Harry saw Sirius up on the dias, near the curtain that Sirius fell behind. Bellatrix was no where to be seen. Harry walked down the stars towards Sirius, then stepped up onto the dias, walking towards Sirius. They stood facing each other, then Sirius said something. "Save me Harry, save me".  
  
The room dissolved and Harry found himself upright screaming.  
  
"Its alright Harry, calm down", Jake was saying, gesturing to a shadow out of Harry's line of vision. Harry stopped screaming as soon as he woke up, looked around and found several people standing around his bed. One of them had come forward and was talking to Jake softly. Harry managed to catch the last of the conversation.  
  
"Ok then, go and get Professor Karnac, he will want to tell Dumbledore about this", said Jake sternly. The boy turned around and left the room. Shortly after that, Professor Karnac appeared in the room, closely followed by Snape.  
  
"What is it Potter?" asked Karnac softly "Did you have a premonition in your dream? Was it about You Know Who?"  
  
"No", said Harry, slighty out of breath and with a hoarse voice because of the screaming he just did. "No, it was about, about S-Sirius Black".  
  
Some of the people around Harry's bed gave a small scream. Clearly, they hadn't been told that Sirius was innocent of the crime that had sent him to Azkaban, or that he had died only a few weeks ago. Professor Karnac looked shocked, and Snape stared at Harry, surveying him as if checking him if he was lying or not.  
  
"Are you sure it was about Black Potter?" asked Snape curtly.  
  
"Yes Professor", said Harry nodding. "I'm positive.  
  
"HARRY, Harry, are you alright"? Hermione had entered the room, closely followed by Ron.  
  
"Oh Harry, we heard Professor Karnac tell Professor Snape what had happened. Are you hurt, are you ok?"  
  
"Yes I'm fine", chocked Harry as Hermione flung her arms around Harry's neck, and rung him so tight, he thought he would start seeing a bright white light at the end of the tunnel any minute now.  
  
"Miss Granger, far be it for you to ever resist a bout of your precious evesdropping, but if you do not let Potter go right now, there may not be a Potter to question about what happened tonight", said Snape coldly. Hermione let Harry go, and stood next to Ron, still watching Harry, a small tear on her cheeck.  
  
"Now that Potter isn't being strangled to death anymore, I think we should take Potter to your office Karnac so we can question him out of the way of distractions". Snape looked around at all the people around Hary's bed and they all cowered away from Snape.  
  
"Yes yes, good idea Severus," said Professor Karnac. "Ok you lot, out of the way, let Potter through". And with that, Harry walked out of the room, escorted by Professors Karnac and Snape, Jake bringing up the rear, shooing students away, telling them that if they didn't get back to bed right now, they would be put on detention for walking the corridors at night without permission.  
  
As Harry walked up the corridor, with the only light comming from a small flame torch in Snape's hand, Harry heard a small voice that sounded as if it were comming from the walls. "Help us Harry, Help us", it said. Harry was starting to understand why the students didn't like wandering around late at night, and was beginning to wonder why he was doing just that until he came to a large stone statue of Professor Karnac himself. Snape gave a small sneer, but Karnac seemed not to hear, because he strood up to the statue, bowed very low, and said:- "I am the Headmaster of this school so let me in".  
  
The statue looked down at him, then walked slightly to the left revealing a small stone staircase with a gold door at the top. God these people are obssesed with gold, thought Harry as he climbed the stairs and went through the door. What he saw almost gave him a stroke.  
  
Albus Dumbledore was sitting on a chair by the fire, talking to the head of Mr. Weasley, which was sitting in the fire. "Dumbledore, he is here", said Mr. Weasley.  
  
Dumbledore turned his head and looked directly at Harry, suveying Harry, as he always did, through those half-moon glasses.  
  
"Albus, I had no idea you would be here tonight", said Karnac staring at Dumbledore with a slight look of shock on his face. "But i'm afraid, not to be rude or anything, but this isn't a really good time Albus. Harry here has just told me -"  
  
"That he has had a dream concerning Sirius Black, yes I know, that is why im here", said Dumbledore, not taking his eyes off Harry.  
  
"Oh, how did you find out so quickly, I havn't even sent an owl yet?" said Karnac.  
  
"Severus sent me an owl as soon as you told him about Harry's dream, and I thought it would be best if I was here when you questioned him. Professor McGonagall will be here shortly."  
  
But Headmaster", said Harry. "What about Hogwarts? whos looking after all the srudents and the castle?"  
  
"Relax dear boy", said Dumbledore calmly, raising a hand to silence him. "Professor Flitwick is looking after things while i'm away, and I can't think of a more trustworthy teacher to watch things for me".  
  
"And what about me", came a breathless voice from the doorway. Everyone turned and saw Professor McGonagall standing there, slighty travelworn, with a large scratch on her face and a very irritable look to match. Harry made up his mind that this was the thinnest her lips could go without the danger of them being swallowed up by her mouth.  
  
"Dear lord Minerva, are you alright?" asked Dumbledore, getting up out of his seat and helping her towards another near Karnacs desk.  
  
"Yes yes, im fine," said Professor McGonagall, clutching at a stitch in her side and accepting a goblet of potion from Snape, which he had conjored up out of midair and told her it will help her to feel better.  
  
"Damn Hogwarts magic", stormed Professor McGonagall finally, after drinking all her potion and regaining her strength, and temper to boot.  
  
"I had to walk fifty miles before I was out of range of all the magic so i could apparate, and then i met Hagrid's brother in the forest! Honestly Albus, he has to keep that giant brother of his somewhere else, he nearly killed me."  
  
"Calm down Minerva, we need to question Harry about his dream", said Dumbledore quietly. He was looking at Harry with somthing that Harry took as concern.  
  
"Oh yes, the boy". Professor McGonagall straightened her cloak and sat down.  
  
"Now Harry, tell us what happened in your dream in as much detail as possible", said Professor Karnac calmly.  
  
"Well, er", said Harry, thinking back to the dream, trying to remember parts that were already a blur.  
  
"I remember seeing Sirius standing in front of me, asking me to help him".  
  
"Did he say anything else?" asked Dumbledore sharply.  
  
"No", said Harry. "Thats all he said. We were in the Department of Mysteries. In the room with the dias was. The room where Sirius........"  
  
Harry looked away, ashamed to let them see him cry.  
  
"It's alright Harry, we understand", said Professor Karnac softly, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "We know how hard Sirius's Death was on you. You can go back to bed now".  
  
"Ah, headmaster, if i may", said Snape to Dumbledore. "But what has Potter got to do with anything that concerns Black. He is dead after all."  
  
"Yes, he is Severus," said Dumbldore with an air of impatiance in his voice. "But all the same, when things that happen around people who have seen people die, and that thing starts to affect there dreams, we must take extra caution in making sure nothing happens to those dreams."  
  
Harry stared at Dumbledore, and had no idea what that meant. But he was saved asking when Dumbledore told him to go back to bed. Harry closed the door behind him, but held back to hear what they were saying.  
  
"Well, Potter has proved it", came the voice of Karnac. "It has to be true now. Sirius Black isn't dead after all.  
  
"Yes, but how do we get him back?" said Professor McGonagall. "He is stuck in between our world and the world beyond".  
  
"Well", said Dumbledore softly. "If Harry can see him in his dreams, he may be the key, but don't mention this to the boy, he may not want to do anything just yet."  
  
"Ok then", said Karnac. Harry heard chairs moving and ran down the hall until he was out of site. The conversation carried all the way down the hal, and Harry followed t a distance, but was close enough to hear what was said.  
  
"How do we get Black back without anyone noticing headmaster?" asked Snape to Dumbledore. "After all, Black is still a wanted criminal. If the Ministry of Magic find out, they will take Black back to Azkaban, or have the dementors perform the kiss."  
  
"That is why the Ministry must never find out about it", said Dumbledore softly. "We have to do everything we can to make sure Fudge never finds out about Sirius."  
  
"Yes sir", said Snape, a sour look on his face. Harry knew that Snape will have a hard time dealing with Sirius again. They were never friends, so when Sirius died, Snape didn't feel any sympathy.  
  
"Well Minerva and I must get back to Hogwarts", said Dumbledore. "Oh and Karnac, Hagrid will be here at the end of next month''.  
  
"Thank you Albus", said Karnac cheefully. "Hope you have a safe trip".  
  
Next moment, Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, appeared on Dumbledore's shoulder. Professor McGonagall Put her hand on his golden plumage, and in a blink of an eye, they were gone.  
  
"Well Severus," sighed Professor Karnac. "I think we should get back to bed ourselves".  
  
Karnac headed back up the chamber, but Snape was heading for the place Harry was hiding. Harry rushed out of the corner and back into the hall that lead to his room. As Harry walked back to his room, he heard those strande voices again. "Help me, Harry, help me." Harry shivered, and opened the door. Jake was waiting for Harry in a chair by the fire.  
  
"Is everything alright?" said Jake.  
  
"Yes, just fine", said Harry.  
  
Harry got into bed thinking, can it be true? Can Sirius really still be alive? If he was, it would be a dream for Harry. He would finally be able to leave the Dursleys. And that, is something anyone would want.  
  
Well, there it was, that has to be my favourite chapter. I listened to you all and made my chapters longer. oh, and by the way, a Griffrent is a creature I invented for the story, u will find out more about it later on. 


	7. A Marauder Returns

**Chapter Seven**

**A Marauder Returns**

Harry woke up the next morning with the worst headache he had ever had. It could have been because he had stayed awake most of the night, going over in his head what he had heard before.

How could Sirius still be alive? How? He was supposed to be dead after all.

"Ah,"said a voice in Harry's head. "Hes supposed to be dead. But no one is exactly sure are they?"

Harry rolled over and tried to get back to sleep but was soon woken again by Jake telling him he needs to get up to start his lessons.

"If you still have a headache in an hour go to the hospital and get something for it", said Jake. "You really need to have your first lesson today, its important you show your interest in being here".

So Harry had no choice but to get out of bed and get dressed in his robes.

Harry then followed Jake down the dark passageway, and into the brightly lit entrance way. The bright Egyptian sun was coming in through the open doors. Harry walked into the Dining Hall and sat down at the Anubis table, and was quickly followed by Ron and Hermione, who had come over from the Ra table to see how Harry was doing.

"We are really sorry you went into another house Harry", said Hermione. "I looked at my timetable last night and it looks as if we have quite a few classes together anyway, so it shouldn't matter that much".

"So Harry", said Ron casually. "How was your first night in the school?"

"Oh, it was ok", said Harry, smiling slightly as he saw Hermione kick Ron in the shins out of the corner of his eye. But the memories of what he had heard last night were still on his mind.

Harry was just about to get up to go to the bathroom when a shout behind him made him jump.

"HARRY, oh thank god you are here", said Bill Weasley, leaning on a statue, clutching at a stitch in his side.

"I was told you were coming and had to catch the morning portkey to come and tell you that the school had rooms built under the school for sleeping. But obviously you already knew, or you would have asked."

"Yeah, I knew, this guy I met here took me to his room, im sharing with him. It's a bit cramped, but I'll survive."

"Hmm". Bill didn't look convinced. Something on Harry's face made him ask, "Are you alright Harry? You seem a bit peaky."

"Yeah, im fine", said Harry, trying to look at least a little normal.

"Ok, well I have to get back, the goblins here are worse than in England. They only gave me five minutes and this portkey -"

Harry had just enough time to glimpse a small statue of Gringotts Wizarding Bank before it glowed, then it and Bill were gone.

"Harry, quick, we need to be in transfiguration in five minutes," said Hermione, ushering Harry towards a passageway to the left of him.

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked down the passageway, which, luckily, was lit with torches. Firstly they were going down, then up, then left, then down, then right, then up again, and finally they turned another right and were in a small hallway that had four doors in it. The one closest to them was labelled 'transfiguration room'.

"Ah, welcome young children", said a man from the darkness of the hall, scaring Hermione to the point that she screamed like a banshee.

"Oh, I am so sorry Miss Granger, I didn't mean to frighten you", said the man, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Anyway, enter young children, I will excuse your lateness once and once only. You will find that, like Professor McGonagall, I will not tolerate rudeness of any kind and anyone who shows that they are not interested in learning will be tossed out of my class forever".

Harry and Ron looked at each other then looked away quickly, grinning madly.

"Anything funny Mr Potter?" asked the teacher sharply.

"Um, not sir", said Harry, trying his best to keep his face straight.

"Good. Well I think it would be best if it introduced myself. My name is Professor –"

"Oh I know you", said Hermione suddenly. "You're Professor Evans, you were the one who greeted us when we first got here".

Harry whipped his head up and saw that Hermione was right. He wasn't as dirty as he had been the day before, but you could tell it was he.

"Well done Miss Granger, I must say, you are quite bright if I do say so myself."

Hermione beamed and made her way to a seat near the back of the class, Harry and Ron followed.

"Ok, now that everyone is here, we can continue with the lesson", said Professor Evans. "What we are doing today is turning small plastic toys into ferrets".

This set Harry and Ron right off. They were laughing so hard, they were crying.

"Dear lord boys, what is so funny", asked Professor Evans sharply.

"I suppose the ferrets reminded them of an incident that happened at Hogwarts when a boy in Slytherin was turned into a ferret", said Hermione, a sour look on her face.

At the mention of the time when Malfoy was turned into a ferret, Harry and Ron laughed even harder, Ron ending up falling off his chair, making the rest of the class start laughing too.

"Im sure it was really funny boys", said Professor Evans sharply. "But can you please stop laughing, you are disrupting my class."

Struggling, Harry and Ron stopped laughing and tried to pay attention to the lesson.

"Now, once each of you has successfully transfigured your toy into a ferret (Ron and Harry stifled silent giggles, while Hermione pursed her lips at them), you will bring it up for inspecting. Don't forget that marks will be awarded for how unique your ferret looks, and marks will be taken if your ferret still looks plastic, or, as a boy last year did, has an extra head."

There was a small silence around the room, as people remembered the horrid incident.

"Now come up and get your toy", said Professor Evans, gesturing to a small table behind his desk.

The class got up and made there way towards Professor Evans' desk, walking around it until they came to a small table that held a large array of toys. Harry, Ron and Hermione lined up at the back, and were soon the only ones left to collect their toys. All that was left was a giraffe, a tiger, and a plastic spider, which made Ron squeak, and grab Harry's arm. Ron hated spiders.

Harry picked up the spider, Hermione the giraffe, Ron the tiger, then they walked back to their desk and sat down, getting ready for the spell they would be using to make them ferrets.

"Now, we must remember students", said Professor Evans, talking to the class, a large boy at the front in particular. "That we must not use spells like this on humans. They can be dangerous, and we don't want any accidents here now do we?

"No Professor Evans sir", said the class together. It seemed that at the beginning of every class started like this. Because the class looked like they were about to fall asleep at any minute.

"Well then, carry on then, start your work", said Professor Evans sharply.

Harry, Ron and Hermione set to work trying to turn their toys into ferrets. It wasn't until a loud bang had erupted in the classroom, and everyone looked at a girl who, three seconds earlier had been sitting at her table, but was now on the floor, under the desk, hands over her head.

"Oh dear, can't you do something right in you life?" said Professor Evans exasperated. "Haven't I told you not to use your new wand for transfiguration, it has to be worn in!"

"Sorry Professor Evans sir", stammered the girl getting to her feet slowly, a small cut on her face. "I was in a hurry this morning and just grabbed the first

wand I came too"

"Well I suggest in future that you pay more attention to what wand you chose of a morning", said Professor Evans sharply. "I will tell you one more time the wand you use. You use your old one for transfiguration, and Defence Against the Dark Arts, and ONLY use your new wand for when you need to stir potions, and the occasional time you use it to magically make small classroom sizes of the constellations move. That is it Miss December. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir", said Miss December, sitting at her desk, ashen faced.

"Right then, carry on with your work", said Professor Evans. "These might be in your end of year exams, you never know, sometimes I can get really sneaky and just spring this on you when you least expect it". Professor Evans chuckled a bit, and then sat at his desk, continuing with paper work.

Sirius Black was supposed to be dead. Supposed, was the key word here. However, he wasn't as dead as people thought. Small torches lighted the death room. The remnants of a battle that had happened not too long ago littered the floor, and the dais, where a small curtain sat, rippling as if a breeze was moving it.

Out of this veil, stuck an arm. This arm, belonged to Sirius Black, and was the reason Sirius was to return. Suddenly, the fingers twitched, and a bright golden light came from the top of the stairs, where the door into the room was.

The light thinned and concentrated on the spot where Sirius was. Sirius's fingers moved again, and, as his body was levitated into the air, his eyes snapped open. Sirius was moved out of the veil, and onto the dais, where he was dropped and the light disappeared.

Sirius groaned, and slowly got to his feet. He couldn't really remember anything, but as he looked around the room, thoughts and images flittered across his mind. His battle with Bellatrix Lestrange, the look on Harry's face when he went behind the veil. Oh no, Harry!

Sirius ran up the stairs, and stopped to make sure no one was coming, then set off down the corridor. He made it all the way to the Atrium, and then he transfigured himself into a dog, and went down another corridor, looking for the office of Kingsley Shacklebolt. He found him down the corridor, left of where a fountain had once stood. Wizards were looking at it, magically measuring parts of it. Obviously they were fixing it after Dumbledore had brought all the figures to life.

Kingsley's office was small; his desk littered with paperwork, his head was buried in a filing cabinet, paperwork in his hand. Sirius transfigured into himself again, and said, "Are you busy Kingsley, we need to talk".

Paperwork flew everywhere. Kingsley bumped his head on the top of the filing cabinet as he turned around.

"Sirius!" said Kingsley, rubbing his head, staring disbelievingly at Sirius. "But how? You supposed to be dead. I saw it with my own eyes. You were duelling with Bellatrix, then you were hit with a hex, and you fell behind the veil. How on earth are you still here?"

"I have been wondering the same thing Kingsley", said Sirius impatiently. "But there is something I need you to do for me. Are the dementors still searching for me here?"

"If by here, you mean still in Britain, yes, just last night I put in a statement, saying you were spotted six kilometres of Manchester. It kicked up quite a stir, because my mother lives there. She had a lot to say to me, I can tell you that for nothing"

"Can you put out a report that one of your men has been informed I was spotted in U.S.A please?" asked Sirius.

"U.S.A? Why U.S.A?"

"Because it is way far from here. I need safe passage all the way to Hogwarts. There are things Dumbledore and I need to discuss."

"OK then, just wait an hour or so while I get a report together. Im running out of ideas."

"Mr Potter, will you listen please!"

Harry jerked out of a daze and stared at Snape. He had been thinking of Sirius, and the possibility that he might still be alive.

"Sorry sir", said Harry.

"Hmm, maybe all this has been too much for the famous Harry Potter to handle. Maybe Harry Potter needs a break", said Snape silkily.

Harry nodded his head vigorously. Snape glared at him.

"Or", Snape continued, "Maybe the famous Harry Potter is putting on a show for us, and he in fact, is trying to get out of doing some serious work. Might I remind you Potter, that you are here to do work, not laze about and take in the ridiculous amount of sunshine. However, I would prefer to be in my dungeon teaching potions instead of babysitting children that are capable of looking after themselves, especially after taking on trolls, dark lords and dementors."

Harry looked away and concentrated on the pumpkin he was trying to dig up. They were in the vegetable patch. Hermione was next to him. She had already successfully removed her pumpkin, plus four turnips and a giant sized watermelon, and was helping Harry with his pumpkin. Try as he might, it refused to move at all, and Hermione wasn't helping matters much.

"Remember Harry, it's removus vegetabalis", Hermione said, using the spell on a nearby potato. "And try to swish your wand more to the left this time."

"You do it then, because Harry is going frantic", said Ron, who was having his own trouble. The carrots he was working on kept jumping out of the basket and back into the ground every time he looked away.

"Bloody gits, stay in the basket will you", said Ron as he dropped his wand and ripped the carrots out of the ground and dumped them in the basket.

"Mr Weasley, what do you think you are doing?" said Snape angrily. "You are to pick vegetables the way you were told, and not like a muggle."

Ron picked up his wand and started picking the carrots with it, talking the whole time under his breath.

"Miss Granger, kindly help Mr Potter," said Snape impatiently. "I'm getting bored watching him try on the one pumpkin. If I were his teacher, I would have failed him by now. Not that I wont anyway". Snape sneered.

"All right Harry, we will do this together", said Hermione. "Ready, one … two… three".

The both of them cast their spell together. The pumpkin shuddered, and finally moved into the air and off to the side of the patch.

"About time", Harry heard Snape mutter.

"Now, I must be going, I have somewhere to be right now", said Snape, and he walked towards the school and out of sight.

Harry glared at him, but didn't say anything. Harry didn't know why, but Harry liked Snape at the moment. It must have something to do with him saying he will help Dumbledore bring Sirius back. How long will it take? How are they going to do it? What was it like to be on the other side? All these questions burned in Harry's heart. If he could just see him again, it would be the best time of Harry's life. But what Harry didn't know was that he would be seeing him more than once. Maybe not today, but soon.

"Right, your current location is U.S.A, New York to be precise. New York City residential put on high alert".

"Thank you Kingsley", said Sirius. "I really owe you one".

"Hmm", said Kingsley. "Yes, I suppose you do".

They shook hands, then Sirius turned into the dog, and Kingsley led him to the lift.

"I can't believe this, a dog getting into here", said Kingsley to the entire atrium, pretending Sirius was just a stray. "This dog could have been a death eater in disguise. It's just as well I was the first to come across him before anything bad happened. Yes, it's all right Basil, it's just a stray. I checked him as soon as I saw him. Im going to take him back to the surface now."

As soon as they were in the backstreet where the entrance to the Ministry was, Sirius turned back into a human again.

"Good luck Sirius", said Kingsley, shaking hands with him again.

"Thank you, I will send an owl as soon as I get in contact with Dumbledore", said Sirius.

"Right, keep to the backstreets if you can. Try to avoid main roads. Someone might recognise your dog form. Oh, and watch out for the dog catcher."

Sirius laughed. "No one is ever going to forget that time are they?"

"Nope", said Kingsley chuckling.

"Oh well, I had better go now", said Sirius.

"Righto then", said Kingsley. "Bye."

Sirius transfigured into the dog once more, and then set off down the street.

Sirius ran all the way to Hogwarts, making sure he wasn't seen by anyone. Once near the gates, Sirius looked around. He wanted to see Dumbledore first, before Harry caught sight of him.

Once Sirius was sure the grounds were clear, he set off at a sprint towards the Oak front doors of the castle, then turned towards where Dumbledore's office was located. When Sirius reached the Stone Gargoyle, he looked both ways, then transformed back into himself.

"Dumbledore, it's me, Sirius", said Sirius loudly, scaring a few people in the paintings nearby.

"Dumbledore, I need to talk to you, let me in", said Sirius again, a little louder, ignoring the angry muttering coming from the pictures.

Sirius was just about to give up, when he heard voices and quick footsteps behind him. He quickly transformed into a dog, and did his best to be just a loveable stray.

Hoping to still get Dumbledore's attention, Sirius started barking, but stopped immediately when he turned around and saw Dumbledore, along with Professors McGonagall and Snape.

"Well, it certainly is a pleasure seeing you again", said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Welcome back Sirius."

"Dumbledore, there is something I have to tell you", said Sirius, the moment he was human again.

"Relax Sirius", said Dumbledore. Harry isn't here. And there is something I have to tell you first."

"Harry isn't here? Why?"

"We will explain everything later, but in the meantime, how have you been?"

Sirius looked at Snape then said, "I've been stuck behind a curtain unconscious for four weeks, apart from that, simply spiffy", he said sarcastically.

Snape glared at Sirius sourly, then looked away.

"Well, I'd dare say Harry would be dieing to see you", said Dumbledore. "But it will have to wait a while".

"Dumbledore, don't you think Harry should know as soon as possible", said Professor McGonagall.

"What I think," said Dumbledore, "Is we should go into my office before a teacher comes down and sees Sirius. Convicted wizards who are on the run tend to scar people. More so if they are dead".

Dumbledore then stepped up to the stone gargoyle, muttered "Fizzy Whizzbe", and the stone gargoyle sprang to the side revealing the revolving spiral staircase behind it.

Dumbledore, Sirius, Snape and Professor McGonagall started climbing the stairs and entered Dumbledore's circular office.

"Sirius!" came a voice from behind them. "But… your… how?"

"There will be time for questions later Phineas", said Dumbledore, talking to the portrait of Phineas Nigellus.

"But Dumbledore, Sirius is supposed to be dead", said Phineas sharply. What is he doing here?"

"I said there will be time for questions later", said Dumbledore, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Phineas knew it was time to shut up. "Yes headmaster", was all he said as he disappeared out of the frame.

"What a nice family I have", said Sirius sitting in front of Dumbedore's desk.

"Hmm, its hard to believe he is your great great grandfather", said Dumbledore.

"I heard that", came the distant voice of Phineas Nigellus.

"Hmm, well its time I told you what's been going on", Dumbledore said to Sirius. "Now pay attention, im going to tell you everything that happened since the day you disappeared behind the veil."

"Mr Potter, have you seen Professor Snape?"

"No headmaster, I haven't, not since the vegetable patch."

"Alright, thank you anyway."

Harry watched as Professor Karnac walked off, heading towards the teachers quarters. Obviously, whatever Karnac wanted with him, it must be serious. Harry had found out that Karnac only went into the teacher's quarters if one of his staff had done something really bad.

"I wonder what Snape did", said Ron, staring at Karnac as he went down the stairs.

"Don't know", said Harry. "But whatever it was, it must be bad".

"Maybe Dumbledore decided that he don't like Snape anymore, and made him stay here forever", said Ron hopefully.

"Oh don't be silly Ron, Snape isn't that bad", said Hermione annoyed.

Ron walked right up to Hermione and felt her forehead.

"Are you feeling alright?" asked Ron. "Because I thought I just heard you say that Snape wasn't that bad. Are you kidding me? He's worse than bad!"

Hermione waved his hand away and said, "Oh come on Ron, you take one look at someone and automatically think they are bad, but not all people are as you say they are".

"Yes Hermione, you right, but Snape is one of those people", said Ron heatedly.

And Hermione and Ron bickered all the way to lunch, sitting either side of Harry.

"Um, may I have you attention please", said a voice that couldn't be seen. "Can Mr. Harry Potter please come to Professor Karnacs office immediately".

Hermione and Ron looked at Harry wide-eyed.

"What, I didn't do anything", said Harry, surprised at the looks on their faces.

"Yes, we know that Harry", said Hermione in a tone of voice that didn't leave Harry feeling any better.

Harry got up and headed for Karnacs office. When he reached the door, he heard voices coming from the other side of it. Harry pressed his ear against it, and it opened slightly. He listened quietly, but the voices continued. Harry moved closer, and was able to see through the small crack that Karnac was talking to a figure that Harry couldn't see.

"All the same, it can't be done", Karnac was saying to the figure. "It's too risky. There's every chance that Dumbledore will find out, then what will we do with the boy then?"

"Uh, so you are chickening out then are you?" said a voice that made Harry's stomach fall to his toes. It was the voice of Lucius Malfoy.

"Your putting words in my mouth again Lucius", said Karnac, raising his voice a little. "Voldemort will get the boy when it is safe to hand him over. Until then, he stays as part of my students, and he mustn't even know about this, Dumbledore will take him away and the entire plan will go up in smoke."

"Voldemort will not be pleased about this, but I suppose for good measure, it would be better. Goodbye Karnac" and Lucius was gone.

Harry ran halfway down the corridor, and then pretended to be walking towards the office, just as Karnac came out of the door.

"Oh there you are Harry, there are some things we need to talk about".

And Karnac led Harry into his office.

"So, you think this Karnac person is to be trusted Dumbledore?" asked Sirius.

"As much as I trust anyone else Sirius", said Dumbledore.

"You put too much trust in people Dumbledore", said Sirius.

"What are you implying Black?" said Snape sourly; stepping out of the shadows for a minute, and Sirius saw that his face was twisted into an ugly frown.

"Nothing Snape, I was merely saying that – "

"Dumbledore is a fool for trusting me because I was once a death eater", Snape interrupted.

"Hey, you said it not me", said Sirius.

Quick as a flash, Snape's hand went into the pocket of his robes and whipped out his wand, pointing it at Sirius's chest, then said "How dare you speak to me like that, im not the one who spent twelve years in Azkaban was I? Im not entirely sure I shouldn't just go up to Fudge right now and tell him that you have miraculously come back from the dead."

"That is enough Severus. Quite enough. Im surprised at this display of behaviour. You of all people should know better", said Dumbledore sharply, a dangerous flash in his eyes.

"I think it would be best if you went back to Egypt".

"Headmaster, Potter and his friends will be fine, I really think I should remain here", said Snape.

"No Severus, you are to return to Egypt right now", said Dumbledore.

Snape opened his mouth as if to say something in protest, but Dumbledore gave him one of his piercing stares. Snape nodded, and then disappeared out of Dumbledore's office.

"He really needs to get over all this anger towards people", said Sirius shrugging.

"Yes, but you really need to watch what you say Sirius", said Dumbledore.

"Its not my fault he took it like that", said Sirius.

"Yes, but all the same Sirius, he isn't the type of person who takes comments like that very well, whether directed at him or not", said Dumbledore.

Sirius felt a need in change of conversation, so he said, "when am I allowed to see Harry?"

"You may see Harry when I think its time for you to see him", said Dumbledore. "I don't think it would be such a good idea for you to see him right away, he may get frightened after seeing you die".

"I doubt it Dumbledore", said Sirius. "I reckon Harry will be happy to see me".

"I still think it best you don't OK".

"Sirius looked a little annoyed, but said, "OK Dumbledore, whatever you say".

"There. You will see him as soon as it is alright".

"OK, now next is where you are going to stay while you are here".

"I could go back home if you like", said Sirius.

"No Sirius, there will be too much hassle with explaining how you came back. No I think it would be best if you stay here", said Dumbledore.

"Hey Dumbledore, I just thought of something, was my death made public?"

"No, it wasn't. Fudge still thinks that you are alive, and is certain that you are attempting to return to Voldemort. Another reason I don't want you to leave this castle."

Dumbledore picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet, and handed it to Sirius. Sirius opened it and saw a picture of him on the front cover with the heading:-

MULTI MASS MURDERER TO RETURN TO OLD MASTER.

_Notorious killer, Sirius Black has been said to have returned to He Who Must Not Be Named over the weekend. Eyewitnesses clearly state that they saw him with four fellow death eaters in London in the early hours of Saturday morning, closely followed by the Dark Lord._

"_Black said will you take me back, and You - Know - Who said certainly Black, then they disapparated and that was it", said a woman who witnessed the return first hand._

_As all of you know, Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban Prison after killing twelve muggles in a crowded street, he is also Harry Potter's godfather. Why Harry's parents trusted a man like that is beyond this papers knowledge, but we will say this, maybe he wasn't all that bad back when he was at school. Maybe he was a nice guy._

"Kingsley dropping hints of my innocence I suppose", said Sirius.

"Yeah, but he never thought that it would send the entire wizarding community in a panic", said Dumbledore.

"No, I suppose not".

"Anyway, you can stay in the Defence Against The Dark Arts office for now, im teaching it for a while until I find a replacement that is willing to stay longer than just one year", said Dumbledore.

"Thank you Dumbledore", said Sirius, and he got up and headed out of the room.

"Oh, and Sirius, make sure you stay in the office when the start of term feast starts. Harry will be here for it", said Dumbledore.

"Oh, OK", said Sirius. And he opened the door and left Dumbledore's office.

"There you are Potter, and give one of these to Mr Weasley and Miss Granger", said Professor Karnac, handing Harry three pairs of socks.

"Excuse me sir, but what are these for?" Harry asked.

"They are your Portkeys so you can return to Hogwarts to see the start of term of course", said Karnac beaming.

"Oh, Ok then", said Harry.

"What's the matter Potter, I would have thought you would be happy to be going back to Hogwarts for a few days", said Karnac.

"Oh, I am", said Harry. He had been thinking about what he had heard before he walked into the office.

"Good then. You may go now, I have a lot of work to do", said Karnac, and as he got up to shuffle some papers on his desk, Harry saw something. He didn't recognise it at first, but when the robes on his wrist fell down a little more, he saw something that made his heart leap. Karnac had a tattoo on his wrist, a tattoo of a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. The Dark Mark!

Harry got up and walked out of the room, then, as soon as he was far enough, he broke into a run, and found Ron in the Dining Hall, sorting out his chess pieces with Jake.

"Hey Harry, what's up?" said Jake, looking up over a book called _Wizarding Chess for Dummies._

"Oh, um, nothing", said Harry, moving over to Ron and taping him on the shoulder blade, then jerking his head to the hallway".

Ron got up and followed Harry out of the room.

"What's up Harry, I thought you said nothing was wrong", said Ron, looking confused.

"Listen Ron, have you seen Hermione?" asked Harry, a little out of breath.

"She's in the library of course", said Ron rolling his eyes". That would be right, she's been here only five minutes and already she knows all about the place".

"At least we wont get lost with her around", said Harry, walking up to the map of the school that was put up for visitors to the school. Harry and Ron had used this map all day, and still had managed to get lost about fifty times.

"It says here that the library is on the fifth floor, twenty-seventh door on the left", said Ron, pointing to a square on the map. "Blimey, no wonder we get lost here, this place is huge!"

They set off for the library and actually managed to find it with no trouble at all. They found Hermione up the back of the library and went to sit down next to her.

"Oh you wouldn't believe how fascinating this place is", said Hermione beaming. "Did you know that –"

"Later Hermione", interrupted Harry. "I have something important to tell you".

And he told Ron and Hermione about what he had heard and later, what he saw, but instead of them looking at him with shocked looks, they looked at him as if he was a mumbling idiot.

"Im sorry Harry, but I find that hard to believe", said Hermione. "Why would Dumbledore send you to a school that is supposably run by a death eater?"

"Its the truth", said Harry. How could they be doubting him? How?

"Im sorry Harry", said Ron.

"No, its alright", said Harry, anger rising in his chest. "I'll just come back when you feel like believing a pathological liar".

And he turned around and stormed out of the room, fuming.

End of chapter seven…


	8. Secrets From Within

**Chapter Eight**

**Secrets From Within**

Harry couldn't believe that Ron and Hermione didn't believe him, but then, when he thought about it, it did sound a bit farfetched, but he still couldn't believe it. He thought he could count on his two best friends for support, but now he knew otherwise.

Himself, Ron and Hermione were to leave for Hogwarts the next morning. Jake was going with them too, as a representative of Tutankhamen's.

"I can't wait", said Jake at dinner the night before. "I've been dying to see the old castle again, and here's my chance, that's why I volunteered to go with you ive wanted to talk to Fred and George Weasley about something quite important".

About three days before, Ron had gotten a letter from Mrs Weasley saying that Dumbledore had allowed Fred and George to do seventh year again.

Harry was sitting next to Jake at the Anubis table, with his back to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting at the Ra table. Harry's neck prickled every time he sensed them looking at him.

"Harry, are you alright? You've been acting weirdly ever since you got back from seeing Karnac".

Harry turned around in his seat and glanced at Ron and Hermione, who both seemed very interested in a candle wax burn that was in front of them. Anger burning on Harry's face, he turned back around, and said "yes, never been better".

Once they were sure that Harry had turned back around, Ron and Hermione looked up, and continued their conversation.

"I don't know Hermione, why would Harry lie about something like this?" said Ron, glancing over at Harry for the millionth time that night. His back was still facing them.

"I don't know Ron, but I don't see the logic in what Harry said" said Hermione shiftily. "I mean, we've come in contact with death eaters before, and there is no way they acted like Karnac. If Karnac is a death eater, than my name is Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore would never have sent Harry here in the first place".

"You know Hermione, Dumbledore might not know if he is or not", said Ron, as if desperately searching for a way to prove to Hermione that Harry was right. "He might think that Karnac is good, and then, when its too late, Harry is dead, and Karnac is the one who killed him".

"Don't be silly Ron", said Hermione. "Karnac is the model Headmaster. He is cheerful, and helpful, and always looking for new ways to improve magical education. There is no doubt in my mind that he asked Jake to include something about the need for improvement in magical learning in his speech".

"Now I come to think of it, Karnac is a little too cheerful, just a little, said Ron, clearly not listening to Hermione. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"If Karnac was a death eater, Harry would have been handed over to Voldemort (Ron shuddered at the name) before, when he went to see Karnac, but Harry is still here, isn't he?"

Ron was about to reply, but Karnac had gotten to his feet and had told everyone to go to bed. As the scrapping of chairs filled the hall, the rest of Ron and Hermione's conversation ended, and as Harry approached them, Hermione opened her mouth to say something to him, but he just strode past them, without even looking at them.

"Now we've done it", whispered Ron into Hermione's ear.

Hermione, looking worried, followed Ron and the rest of the school out into the Entrance Chamber, and followed the prefect from Ra house to the Ra dormitories, both of them feeling really bad about what they had said about their best friend.

"Harry, Harry, wake up, we're late!"

Harry opened his eyes. The room was brightly lit, and Jake was standing over a large trunk. He was piling robes and equipment into the trunk, and trying to get dressed at the same time, and it wasn't until he lost his balance and fell head first into the trunk that he gave up, and concentrated on straightening his robes first.

Harry, snorting with laughter, got out of bed, and pulled on his robes. Then he grabbed some robes, his books, and the equipment he will need, and stuffed them all into his truck.

"Wingardium Leviosa", Jake muttered, levitating the trunks so they floated just above the ground.

"Come on Harry, we are late enough as it is".

Harry, grabbing Hedwig's cage, and raced out the door, it closing magically behind him, then he and Jake rall all the way up the corridor, and into the Entrance Chamber, the trunks floating steady behind them.

Once in the Entrance Chamber, they stopped, panting, leaning on their trunks for support.

"Ah, nice of you two to finally join us", came a slightly annoying voice.

Harry looked up and found Professor Evans walking towards them, closely followed by Ron and Hermione.

"Where have you two been?" asked Professor Evans stiffly. "You should have been here half an hour ago".

"Sorry dad - I mean, Professor," said Jake, going very red. "I didn't get the wake up bell until fifteen minutes ago. When I saw the time, we got here as fast as we could".

"Damn that accursed chimer", said Professor Evans angrily. "That's it, if she cant do her job properly, she will be replaced, I'm sick of it".

Then he checked his watch, and almost fainted. "We have thirty seconds until the port keys are activated. Quickly now, get into place".

Professor Evans handed each of them a sock each. Harry, held onto his trunk and Hedwig's cage, as he prepared for the port keys magic to be activated.

"Good luck, and take care", said Professor Evans smiling. Five seconds later, Harry felt the familiar jerking feeling behind his navel, and then he was spinning through a swirl of colour, Hedwig's cage in one hand, and his trunk in the other.

Harry's face smashed against the cold stone floor of the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts. Hedwig's cage rolled away, Hedwig screeching. Ron seized it, and turned it the right way up. Harry got to his feet and, unlocked it, and Hedwig soared into the air, out of the open oak doors, and headed out for the Owlery.

"Ah, you are here", came Dumbledore's voice.

"Good morning Professor McGonagall sir", said Jake, who had strode over to Dumbledore and was shaking his hand.

"Jake, Jake Evans. How nice to see you again", said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "How is your father? I believe he teaches transfiguration now".

"He is good sir, and yes, he is", said Jake beaming.

"Yes, a lot different from when he taught advanced NEWT level charms here at Hogwarts", said Dumbledore smiling.

"Yes sir, very different, but he enjoys it", said Jake.

"As does Professor Flitwick teaching the advanced NEWTS", said Dumbledore, then he turned to Harry and said, "Why don't you and your friends go take your things up to Gryffindor Tower, and then come down for some breakfast".

"Thank you sir", said Jake, levitating the trunks.

"My pleasure", said Dumbledore, then he went into the Great Hall, and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Jake climbed the marble staircase, Jake looking around the whole time.

"Oh I'm so glad to be back here", said Jake. "Down that corridor is where Professor McGonagall caught me kissing - um, well, lets not go into that". Jake blushed furiously, and was silent the rest of the way to Gryffindor Tower.

When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, it swung open immediately, and they stepped into the Gryffindor Common Room, their trunks following close behind them.

They then put their things in their dormitories, Jake staying in the seventh year's dormitory because they had a spare bed, and then they went down for breakfast.

Harry, sitting next to Ron, didn't even look at him. Jake shook his head and sat on Harry's other side.

Dumbledore must have sensed the tension, so he said, "Professor Snape will be along in time for the start if term feast. He sent me an owl just before you arrived. He has a few things to sort out before he get here".

There was no reply to this, and Dumbledore glanced at Professor McGonagall, who just shrugged, and went back to the paper she was reading. It was a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Anything interesting in there Minerva?" asked Dumbledore.

"Not really", said Professor McGonagall, folding up the paper, and putting it on the table. "Just silly gossip about Americans claiming to have seen Sirius Black around their homes, which, of course, is ridiculous".

Professor McGonagall glanced at Harry, nervously, then looked away, apparently interested in her eggs.

When Harry had finished eating, he excused himself from the table, and walked into the brightly lit Entrance Hall. He was halfway up the staircase, when a sharp pain shot through his scar. A high pitched scream echoed around the hall, then Harry tumbled down the stairs. By the time he hit the last stair, he had fainted.

Only half an hour before that, when Harry had been safely eating in the Great Hall, Karnac had a visitor. Several in fact. He was sorting out paperwork on his desk, when suddenly, Lucius Malfoy appeared.

"Has Potter left yet?" asked Malfoy.

"Yes, I believe so", said Karnac, checking his watch. "Yes, he and his friends have been gone a while now".

"Excellent, now we can start adding to the plan", said Mr Malfoy. And he waved his wand and a very large piece of parchment appeared on Karnacs desk, so large, that it knocked all Karnac's paperwork onto the floor, and the end of the parchment fell onto the floor.

"Now, what we need to do is -"

"Bow to your master", came the cold, cruel voice of Lord Voldemort.

"Master, what are you doing here?" said Karnac, startled.

"Do you really need to know Karnac", said Voldemort coldly, and seeing the wide eyed look on Karnacs face, he said, "I'm kidding Karnac, lighten up. I wanted to personally make sure Malfoy didn't stuff up, and also to tell you something quiet important".

"What is it master", asked Mr Malfoy.

"Sirius Black is alive", said Voldemort angrily.

Karnac was choking on the coffee he had conjured into his cup, and Malfoy gasped.

"But, how can this be", said Karnac shrilly. "I heard Bellatrix Lestrange forced him behind the veil, he's as good as dead".

"I agree with Karnac", said Mr Malfoy. "I saw it happen with my own eyes. Black fell behind the veil, and was lost forever. This is what was to make the plan work. Potters spirit was to be broken so much that he didn't care if he lived, or died. But now that Black is alive, Potter is sure to be as happy as a pig in mud. The plan cannot proceed master. It cant".

"Oh, but it can Lucius", said Voldemort smugly. "It can indeed".

"What do you mean", said Mr Malfoy confused.

"Our young friend Mr Potter doesn't know Black is alive", said Voldemort, a smile crossing his pale face.

Grins broke out on both Karnac and Mr Malfoys faces too.

"Oh, this is to work to our advantage", said Mr Malfoy.

"Yes, it is", said Voldemort. "Now Lucius, come with me, we need to make a few adjustments to the plan". and with that, he was gone.

Mr Malfoy gathered up the parchment, rolled it up, and with a small pop, he too was gone.

Karnac sighed, rose up from his chair, gathered up his parchments and sat back down, just as there was a knock at door.

"Enter", said Karnac, piling papers on his desk, not looking up, and it wasn't until he heard the voice of the person who had entered the room, that his stomach tied itself into a knot.

"Well well well, what an interesting conversation you had just now", said Snape, his face full of malice.

"Severus, you, you don't understand", stammered Karnac. "The master, he forced me, I didn't want any of this".

"Don't lie to me Karnac", hissed Snape. "No one is ever forced to be a death eater. A person becomes a death eater of their own free will".

"But, The Master, his powers - "

"If I am strong enough to resist the power of Lord Voldemort, you most certainly are too".

And with that, he left the room, but at the door, he turned around, and said, as cold as ice, "Ill be watching you. Very, very carefully". and he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Karnac then raced to the door, locked it, then shouted", Master, can you hear me? I need to talk to you".

"What is it Karnac". I am very busy", said Voldemort.

"Master, its Snape, he was just here. He suspects something".

Voldemort laughed, a cold, cruel laugh.

"Snape? Snape is an incompetent fool. He will never figure out what we have planned, but, just in case, this certain something will make him think twice about saying anything to Dumbledore".

Voldemort waved his wand, and, thousands of miles away, Harry Potter screamed, and fainted, as the curse flowed through him.

"I… I cant believe we didn't believe him Ron".

"Well I did try telling you he could be right, but you were the one who insisted he was a raving lunatic".

"I did not say that he was a raving lunatic".

"No, not in so many words Hermione, but that's the impression you gave".

"Thank you so much Ron, you really know how to cheer a girl up".

"Glad to be of service to you".

Harry opened his eyes just in time to see Hermione glare at him, before she saw that he was awake, and almost strangled him when she threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"ARE YOU MAD GIRL", came the shrill voice of Madame Pomfrey. "THE BOY HAS JUST AWOKEN FROM HAVING FAINTED. HE IS DESTRESSED ENOUGH WITHOUT YOUR ARMS CUTTING OF HIS OXYGEN!"

Hermione, bright red, let him go and hide behind Ron, as Madame Pomfrey took his temperature, checked his pulse, and unnecessarily felt his head.

"Now, you have ten minutes only", said Madame Pomfrey more calmly now that her patient wasn't in danger of suffocating to death. "Professor Dumbledore would like to talk to Mr Potter in private".

"What about?" asked Ron.

"That, Mr Weasley, isn't any of your concern", said Snape, who had just walked through the Hospital Wing Doors. "Madame Pomfrey, may I have a word to you in your office please?"

"Yes, of course Professor", said Madame Pomfrey, and they both went into her office, Snape giving Harry a last sour look, before closing the door.

Hermione immediately resumed her hugging of Harry.

"Oh, I am soooo sorry we didn't believe you before Harry", said Hermione, her voice thick through her tears".

"For goodness sake Hermione, let the poor guy breathe", said Ron, pulling Hermione off Harry.

"So, now you believe me?" said Harry rubbing his neck. "Now you believe that I'm not making this up?"

"Yes, we overheard Snape telling Dumbledore about a conversation he had heard just before you fainted. It made us feel really bad about what we had said to you. We are really sorry Harry. Are you still angry with us?"

"No, I'm not angry", said Harry, who was more relieved than anything now that they finally believed him.

"Right you two.. Out.. NOW", barked Madame Pomfrey.

"See ya later Harry", said Ron, and all Hermione did was wave, and the left the Hospital Wing, just as Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Umbridge walked in. Umbridge looked at Harry, and smiled in her toadyish way. Harry pretended not to notice her, as they approached him, and sat down.

"Now Harry", said Dumbledore, looking at Harry seriously through his half moon glasses. "I am about to use a spell to reveal something to you. A secret. A secret from within".

"What is a secret from within?" ask Harry.

"A secret from within is a secret magically put into someone without their knowledge, or power to resist. Its usually done to prevent someone from using the knowledge for their own purpose. These secrets can be dangerous for the people who have them, so they use someone else to get rid of them. In this case, it was you Harry, and we need to find out what this secret is. Poppy, the pensive please".

Madame Pomfrey went into her office and then returned with Dumbledore's stone pensive, and placed it onto Harry's bedside table. Dumbledore than put his wand to Harry's temple, muttered a spell, and a bright sliver of silver slipped into the pensive. The contents swirled very fast for a few seconds, and then slowed to its usual pace.

"Harry, it is important that you see this too", said Dumbledore smoothly.

Harry got to his feet, looked into the tiny window - like spot in the middle of the swirl, then Harry fell right through it, and onto the green grass of the Hogwarts grounds, Harry got up off the ground, brushed himself off, and looked up, right into the face of his godfather Sirius, but it was Sirius as he looked like as a child at Hogwarts himself.

"Hurry up James", he said "You have to meet Lily in half and hour. You're becoming quite the ladies man now James mate".

"Are… are you talking to me?" asked Harry stunned.

"Well I'm not talking to Dumbledore, who just happens to be standing right behind you", said Sirius, pointing to a point just behind where Harry was standing.

"Hurry along there Black. I don't want to see you in my office today, I am rather busy at the moment", said Dumbledore, frowning at Sirius.

"Yes, but I have to - "

"No excuses today Black, move along, don't make me put you in detention, Professor Dippet is not feeling very well today."

"Oh, yes sir", said Sirius glumly, and he headed for the castle, winking at Harry when Dumbledore wasn't looking.

"Umm… Professor", said Harry. "This is going to sound strange, but - "

"What is going to sound strange Harry?" asked Dumbledore.

"Oh, so you know its me, and not dad", said Harry relieved.

"Yes, I know its you Harry. I came through the pensive just after you did, but I must say, it is quite peculiar that we should come back to something like this.. unless I am very much mistaken, this is the day of your fathers sixteenth birthday. How very odd to want to bring you back here unless… oh yes.. I see why".

Harry looked at the place where Dumbledore was looking and his jaw nearly dropped… it was a young Karnac. And a very different Karnac from what he had met… this Karnac was.. Well… there is no other way to put it… but this Karnac was a down right male version of Hermione.

His books were hanging from his shoulders and he even had a prefect badge.

"Ah yes," said Dumbledore. "I remember now. Karnac was the first prefect to ever be, not only score the highest OWLS score in Britain's magical history, but he also was the youngest person to ever be involved with Voldemort".

Harry was thinking about what Sirius had said about having to meet Lily.. He checked his watch. It was half past one.

"Well Harry, I think we should go see you mother. Remember Harry, try not to act so to surprised…. We need to keep this as kind as possible, or the spell will be ruined, and we will both end up with rather nasty bruises after the pensive spits us out."

"But, where will I meet her?" asked Harry. "Sirius didn't tell me".

"Well, when your father and mother were at school here, they spent a lot of time in the library together. I think we should try there".

So both Harry and Dumbledore walked up to the castle, and through the Oak front doors, to be almost knocked over by a very angry Professor McGonagall.

"POTTER… THERE YOU ARE. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOUR CLASS STARTED OVER FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO".

Although a lot younger looking than she does now, Professor McGonagall was still as strict as ever, he mouth very thin.

"Relax Minerva, James has been with me this whole time", said Dumbledore, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Oh I'm glad you are here Dumbledore, Peeves has smeared shrieking slim all over the trophy room".

"Hmm. Take this potion and splash it over the slim, then go fetch the Bloody Baron to deal with Peeves. I have urgent matters to attend to".

Professor McGonagall took a bottle from Dumbledore, and then strode off quickly in the direction of the Trophy Room.

Harry and Dumbledore headed to the library, and once they arrived there, they went in searching for Harry's mother. They spotted her in the Astronomy section, and Dumbledore started talking to a student who had asked him a question about something Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher before Hagrid, had set him for homework. Dumbledore helped the student while he carefully payed attention to Harry and Lily.

"Hi Lily", said Harry, in a way he hoped would sound like his father.

"Oh here you are James, I was starting to think you weren't coming", said Lily, as she embraced Harry and kissed his cheek. Clearly James and Lily had began going out even while they were at school. Harry, meanwhile, was finding it difficult to act normal. His face was bright red from being kissed and he was fidgeting.

"Come on James, lets go somewhere more private so we can talk", said Lily, and her and Harry started walking out of the library, but before they could go near the door, Karnac burst through, holding what looked like a wizard cracker. He thrust it at Lily, then ran off. The cracker burst in Lily's face. Lily screamed, then fell to the floor.

A cold cackle filled the room, followed by a voice Harry didn't think would be heard… It was the voice of Lord Voldemort.

"One day you Mudbloods will get what you all deserve, one day you will all bow down to me, or face the consequences. Come Karnac, it is time to leave, but before you do… OBLIVIATE!"

A bright flash of light filled the library as students and teachers minds were erased of what had just happened, but instinct had told Harry to move Lily out of the library, so by the time Voldermort wiped everyone's memory, Harry and Lily were in the corridor. Then, all of a sudden, the corridor disappeared and Harry was thrust into the air, and found himself on his back on the Hospital Wing floor.

He was back. Out of the Pensive. Dumbledore followed shortly afterwards.

"Excuse me Albus, but Fudge is demanding an update", said Umbridge in her false sweet voice.

"You can tell him that Karnac is definitely a death eater," said Dumbledore, walking over to the pensive and taking it back into Madam Pomfrey's office, then returning to sit at the foot of Harrys bed.

"I shall, I'm sure the Minister will want to act quickly", said Umbridge

"No Delores", said Dumbledore sternly. "You will tell Cornelius that he is not to do anything to karnac until I am sure he is a real threat or not. Do I make myself clear?"

"Erm… yes headmaster", said Umbridge, raising an eyebrow.

"You may join Ron and Hermione in Gryffindor Tower to get ready for the beginning of term feast Harry", said Dumbledore. "There are some things I need to attend to".

Harry thought about what he had seen in the pensive as he walked up to Gryffindor Tower five minutes later. What had it all mean? Harry didn't know, but he would know soon enough.

Harry watched from the high table, as the first years came into the Great Hall, most looking scared, and some of them were wearing smiles of glee, as if they could hardly believe that they were actually at Hogwarts.

This was a whole new experience for Harry, as he had never seen what it was like to see the first years from up at the high table, having only ever sat at the Gryffindor Table. Now he was sitting up there however, he could see the whole of the Great Hall. As soon as the first years were lined up in front of the rest of the school, Dumbledore got to his feet, and the low chatter died out.

"Welcome back, I hope that you are all well and rested from your holidays", said Dumbledore smiling. "And welcome new first years. I hope your first year at Hogwarts will be one to remember."

"First, I would like to get a few announcements out of the way, before we dig into our delicious feast".

"I would like to welcome back Professor Umbridge, who has agreed to fill in for Professor Snape while he is away".

There was a mixed response to this. Some of the students, all the Slytherins included, clapped and whistled as Umbridge got to her feet and bowed. The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws however, looked shocked and stunned to see Umbridge back after what had happened the year before.

"Another addition to our teaching staff should make most of you very happy", said Dumbledore happily.

"After talking with the Minister of Magic, and convincing parents that everything will be safe with him here, I am very glad to announce, that Professor Lupin has agreed to return to Hogwarts this year to teach Defence Against The Dark Arts, and hopefully, many years to come".

The entire hall burst into applause as Lupin came out of the chamber to the side of the high table. Harry had forgotten that there was no Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher this year, and was quite surprised to see Lupin, sitting there, next to Harry.

"Hi Harry, thought it would be a good surprise for you to see me here", said Lupin smiling.

Harry smiled back and then looked back at Dumbledore, but not before he heard Malfoy say, "wait until my father hears about this," and he looked over at Umbridge, who, looked horrified to see him. Professor Umbridge hates half-breeds.

"Now, I have a very important announcement to make", said Dumbledore, and the applause died out.

"It would seem that Hogwarts in the past few years has been very lucky, and very unlucky, but this piece of information can be put in the very lucky pile. I am very pleased to announce that three of our best students are having the wonderful opportunity to go to another wizard school. Overseas."

People at the tables were whispering silently to each other, and the first years looked around at each other, friends talking in hushed voices. Dumbledore cleared his throat, and continued.

"Yes, three of Hogwarts finest students have had the wonderful opportunity to experience what other wizard schools teach, and all the wonderful things they do as well. The school that was chosen, is the Tutankhamen School for the Magic Arts and Egyptian Hieroglyphics".

More whispers followed this. Tutankhamen's got a lot of good reviews".

"The three students are…"

"Miss Hermione Granger, Mr Ronald Weasley, and Mr Harry Potter. Don't their robes just look amazing?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione got the there feet, and looked out at rest of the hall, as they clapped".

"And, we also have the great pleasure of having a student from the school here as a representative of the school. He was also a student here at one stage too. Please welcome Mr Jake Evans."

Clapping started, and obvious friends of Jake clapped hardest, then the applause died out, and the hall was silent again.

"Well now", said Dumbledore. "I think it is time these new students were sorted. Professor McGonagall if you would please".

"Professor McGonagall got to her feet, went into the small chamber off the high table, and emerged again with a stool, and the Hogwarts Sorting Hat, and put them in front of Dumbledore.

Then a rip in the brim opened up, and the hat began to sing: -

She unrolled a long roll of parchment and started reading the list of names, beginning with "Abercrombie, Charles".

Charles Abercrombie was a short, darkly tanned boy, with short blonde hair. He walked up to the hat, pulled on the hat, which completely covered his eyes, and sat there as the hat decided on what house to put him in. Finally, the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN", and the roaring of applause followed as little Charlie went over to the Slytherin Table.

"Atkinson, William".

William went over to the hat, and was soon sorted into Gryffindor. Two more first years went into Gryffindor, before a brown haired girl went into Hufflepuff, and Professor McGonagall started with the C's.

Harry looked around at all the students sitting at the house tables, looking up at the hat sorting the students, and was jerked out of a slight daze, when a familiar name met his ears.

"Edgecombe, Chester"

Chester Edgecombe was a boy from Harry's Primary School, and was to suppose to be going to Stonewall High; the same school Harry was supposed to be going to if he hadn't found out he was a wizard. He was also Harry's only friend when he was in primary school, having kept their friendship a very well kept secret, because if anyone had found out, it would have eventually reached Dudley's ears, and Dudley would have pounded Chester senseless.

Ron, seeing the look of astonishment asked, "Whats wrong Harry? Do you know this kid?"

"Yeah, I do, but I haven't seen him in ages", said Harry, still looking at Chester's face. Chester put the hat on, and a moment later, was sorted into Gryffindor.

"I will also add, to clear up any confusion", said Professor McGonagall. "That Chester is not in first year, he is a sixth year, and has come to Hogwarts from Eton, and had to be sorted.

The few people with confused looks on their faces gave a small, "oh", then continued watching the rest of the first years being sorted.

When Zelinski, Jennifer was sorted into Ravenclaw, Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment, and carried the stool, and hat out of the hall. Then Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again, and everyone looked at him.

"Now that all of the first years, and Mr Edgecombe have been sorted, I can continue with the normal beginning of term announcements…"

"First of all, I must warn the first years that the forbidden forest is out of bounds to all students, and I mean all students".

Dumbledore's eyes came to a rest on Harry, who was sitting not far from him, then wandered out to the tables in front of him, and swept past Fred and George Weasley, who's lives revolved around doing dangerous things such as tackling the dangerous creatures that lurked inside the forest.

"Also, I must tell you that my office, and the four classrooms that surround it on both sides are out of bounds as well, because they are in great need of redecorating. The entire corridor has been roped off, and anyone caught inside the roped off area will receive three weeks worth of detentions and will be forbidden of visiting Hogsmeade for an entire term. You may think this would be a bit harsh, but I feel you would prefer this type of punishment a lot more than death".

Dumbledore exchanged a look with Professor McGonagall, and then he continued.

"Well, I think I have said what has been needed", said Dumbledore smiling. "Oh, except this. Dig in".

And as usual, the empty plates and goblets filled with food magically, and the sound of chatter broke out in full as students talked about their summer, and what they did over the holidays, and the first years introduced themselves to their fellow house members.

"You know Harry", said Dumbledore over the chatter. "If you want, you can go over to the Gryffindor table and sit with your friends, you too Mr Weasley and Miss Granger".

As soon as that was said, Harry, Ron, and Hermione rose to their feet and walked over to the Gryffindor table.

Harry looked over looking for Chester, and he found him sitting with Neville and Seamus, so he said "I'll see you guys later", and he went over to where Chester was sitting.

"Hi Harry", said Seamus brightly, looking up as Harry approached. "This is Chester Harry, he has some really interesting stories about Eton. It seems like a really cool wizarding school".

"Yeah, its really cool, and I already know Harry Seamus", said Chester slightly red. "How are you Harry?"

"I'm good", said Harry. "But your, a… a… a…"

"A wizard yeah. I found out just like you did. I didn't know you were a wizard until I went to Eton and found your name in quite a lot of books, mostly books on dark arts and stuff like that, but then you started appearing in the Daily Prophet, and it all was kinda weird for a little while, but I got used to it before long".

It seemed that Chester had wanted to say this for so long, because it all came out in a rush of words.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a wizard? Why didn't you send me an owl or something?"

"Ah, you see, I wasn't sure it was such a good idea, with all that is happening and with You Know Who being back, I was afraid the letters may have been intercepted, and You Know Who would find out where you were and stuff, and I thought it might have been a bit of a shock to you if I sent you a letter explaining everything to you, and besides, the muggles you live with might have kicked you out of their house if they knew you were friends with a wizard while at primary school, so I thought it would be better to just leave it.

Then my dad said we were moving, and it would be too far to keep going to Eton, and I would be going to Hogwarts instead, so I thought cool, I will finally see Harry, and he will know all about me".

Chester was speaking a lot in a short space of time, and after a while, Harry got confused at what he was saying. Harry never remembered Chester ever talking this much before.

"Sorry if I was a bit fast Harry", said Chester, and Harry jumped. "But I just wanted to tell you all this".

"Its ok", said Harry. "So, how have you been?"

"I've been good thank you", said Chester brightly.

Harry started eating and was happy and content for a while. But after a while, images started to come up in Harry's head. Images of someone being tortured. It was Voldemort doing the torturing, he was sure of it. But Harry didn't tell anyone about it. He just kept eating silently, Ron and Hermione talking quietly next to him, and the images kept running through Harry's mind. Then something in the visions made Harry actually pay attention to them. (If you want to know what it is, I suggest you keep reading lol)…

"HOW DARE YOU DECIEVE ME! YOU WILLPAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE"

Voldemort was furious. His wand was pointed at the throat of a man that nobody had seen in a long time. That man, was Igor Karkaroff.


	9. This Calls For Polyjuice Potion

**Chapter Nine**

**This Calls For Polyjuice Potion**

Voldemort stood over Karkaroff, wand still pointed at him, an angry snarl on his face. Karkaroff was being held up by Lucius Malfoy and Wormtail.

"Please Master", Karkaroff managed to croak. "Please Master, forgive me, it wasn't my fault, I couldn't hang around while Snape was so suspicious of me, he would have found out what we were planning".

"We, weren't planing anything" said Voldemort coldly. "You turned your heels and hide like a cowering idiot, giving the Ministry Of Magic the same lame excuse that you were bewitched into serving me. You betrayed me Igor, and for that, you will never be forgiven."

Karkaroff started to shake, his face turning an ugly greenish white colour.

"Oh calm yourself Igor, I'm not going to kill you", said Voldemort lazily. "I should, you deserve it, but I wont. I have a much better use for you".

Karkaroff's eyes widened.

"How desperate are you to earn yourself back into my death eaters?" asked Voldemort smugly.

"I..I would do anything Master", said Karkaroff, colour returning in his cheeks now that he knew he wasn't going to be killed.

"Good… well the first thing I need you to do is forget about that school you were headmaster of. You will never return there. If I find out you have, you will not have me to deal with. You will have my allies, and let me assure you, Dementors do not show pity like I do". Voldemort smiled at that moment, then said, "Now here is what I want you to do, and listen carefully. If you mess this up, you will go to the Dementors anyway".

"You mean you actually saw Professor Karkaroff being tortured?" asked Hermione bewildered.

"Yeah, Voldemort was really mad too", said Harry. The feast was over and Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting on their own in the Gryffindor Common Room,

Harry telling them what he had just seen.

"I just wish we could have found out what Voldemort was planning with Karkaroff" said Ron. "Are you sure you can't remember what it was?"

No," said Harry". "The vision was over before I could find out".

"Blimey", said Ron. "I thought You Know Who would kill him for sure, after Karkaroff betrayed him and everything. You Know Who must be losing his marbles".

"Ron, you shouldn't make jokes about Voldemort, especially these days", said Hermione stiffly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you seem to think he's going to jump out of a broomstick cupboard and do us in any day now", said Ron, rolling his eyes.

"No I don't, I just think you should be careful with what you say", said Hermione. "You don't know who might hear".

"What Gryffindor is going to run off and tell You Know Who? No body is that silly".

"That's not the point", said Hermione irritably.

"Well what is your point then", said Harry.

"My point is", said Hermione roughly", Is that you cant just go around saying things like that. Even if it is in company of Gryffindor's", said Hermione to Ron, because he was about to open his mouth to argue. "What if someone else was talking about it and Malfoy just happened to hear it? What would you do then?"

Ron looked about to argue, but seeming to find nothing to say about it, he fell silent. Harry looked at Hermione. Now that he thought about it, she had a really good point. There was every chance Malfoy could hear, and he could run off and tell his father, and his father tell Voldemort. Talking bad about Voldemort was a very dangerous move.

"Yes, well, I guess you are right", said Harry quietly, still looking at Hermione.

Hermione was positively beaming. "I never thought id see the day that you would agree with me without the persuasion from anyone else".

"Well don't get used to it", said Ron irritably. Clearly he thought he had been right, and Hermione wrong, and being proven wrong didn't sit very well with Ron at all.

"Look", said Harry. "We need to find out what Karkaroff has been ordered to do".

"But how", said Ron, looking from Hermione to Harry. "That spell Dumbledore used last time wont work, and I don't think Dumbledore has anything else that can help us, seeing as I doubt he'd let us, and because even you didn't see it Harry. Blimey this is a tricky one".

But Harry wasn't listening to Ron at all. He was remembering something he had seen Malfoy doing. About half way through the feast, Malfoy was talking to his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, then, all of a sudden, Malfoy put his hands to his ears, and seemed to be talking to thin air, glancing a couple of times up at Dumbledore, as if he didn't want to be seen doing what he was doing. A small smile crossed his face, then he excused himself from the table, got up, and left the Great Hall, and didn't return until about five minutes before the feast ended.

"Harry, are you ok?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, I'm fine, listen to this", and he told Ron and Hermione what he was just thinking about.

"I think Malfoy might know something", Harry finished. "If there was a way we could just figure out how much he knows, then we can figure out a way to stop Karkaroff. That would put a serious blow in Voldemort's defences."

"Why are you smiling?", asked Ron, as Harry glanced over to find Hermione grinning broadly.

"I'm smiling because there IS a way to find out if Malfoy knows anything."

"Really?" said Ron startled. "And what might that be?"

"Think back to second year", said Hermione, grinning more widely. "Think back to what you did last time you wanted information out of Malfoy".

Harry, understanding dawning on him suddenly, grinned as well.

"Polyjuice Potion!" said Harry. "Why didn't I think of that before.

"Ahh, guys. We are forgetting one simple problem with that", said Ron.

"What's that?" said Harry, a stumped look on his face.

"The fact that Polyjuice Potion takes a month to brew", said Ron simply.

The grin fell from Harry's face, but the grin on Hermione's grew as wide as it could go.

"Hermione, why are you still grinning?" asked Ron shocked. "This is the time when you are supposed to say well there has to be another way".

"But there is no other way", said Hermione, happily bouncing in her seat.

"Why do you say that with such a large smile for?" said Harry confused.

"Because we don't need to brew any Polyjuice Potion, its been brewed for us!"

"What?" said Ron breathlessly. "What do you mean?"

"In Transfiguration, the seventh years are doing human transformations", said Hermione excitedly. "I heard Professor McGonagall asking Snape if the potion was ready yet, and he said it will be ready by the end of the week!"

"This is brilliant!" said Ron. "Now we can find out if Malfoy knows anything after all".

"The only thing we need to work out is who we will change into", said Hermione.

"We could always use Crabbe and Goyle again" said Harry.

"No, that wouldn't work" said Hermione, shaking her head. "We need actual information, not something only those two would understand."

"Well what else are we going to do then?" asked Ron.

"I think we need to start studying the Slytherin's very carefully over this week, and we have to be quick, we go back to Egypt next week."

So over the next few weeks, Harry, Ron and Hermione carefully watched the Slytherin's that Malfoy hung around the most, and who they thought that Malfoy might tell about anything. But it wasn't until late Friday afternoon, after a very complicated Transfiguration lesson where they were set the task of transforming Alligators into handbags, that their opportunity came up.

On their way to Gryffindor Tower, Harry, Ron, and Hermione heard Malfoy's voice coming from an empty classroom in the Charms corridor. Quick as a flash, Harry whipped his Invisibility Cloak out if his bag and covering himself, Ron and Hermione, they edged into the classroom, and stood near the door so that if things were to turn ugly, they could make an easy exit.

Malfoy was standing near the teachers desk, and was talking to three other Slytherin's. A fellow sixth year who went by the name of Blaise Zambini, Pansy Parkinson, and another boy who Harry didn't recognise. Malfoy and Pansy seemed to be arguing, Pansy had tears in her eyes. Zambini was watching on, clearly impatient. The other boy looked quite bored.

"Malfoy, you simply cant do this", Pansy said shakily. "What if Dumbledore catches you? You know how fond of him Dumbledore is. Or worse, what happens if the Ministry was to find out?"

"For the last time Pansy", said Malfoy, clearly impatient as well. "Nothing will go wrong, and even if the fools in the Ministry were to figure it out, it will be too late, and the Dark Lord would have done something anyway."

"But Draco", said Pansy, wringing Malfoy's hand. "Karkaroff will turn against you. He's done it to the Dark Lord, and he will do it to you, I'm sure of it!"

"Nonsense", said Malfoy. "He wouldn't dare betray The Dark Lord a second time. He barely got this second chance. I don't think he even deserved it, but it was the Dark Lords decision, and I know better than to argue with him."

"But Draco -"

"Oh for god sake Parkinson, will you stop blubbering", said Zambini for the first time. "Malfoy isn't a fool you know. He does know what he is doing."

"Yes, I do", said Malfoy smugly, then his expression turned sour as he turned to face Zambini".

"I can answer for myself Zambini", hissed Malfoy. "I do not need you to speak for me".

Zambini glared at Malfoy for a bit before resuming to look impatient. Malfoy turned his gaze back to Pansy.

"Potter will not suspect anything, and by the time Dumbledore finds out, it will be too late", said Malfoy. "the Dark Lord has thought out this plan very carefully to make sure it succeeds, and he's not going to allow anything to -"

Malfoy stopped suddenly, and Harry stepped on Ron's foot as he tried, but failed, to stifle a sneeze.

"Lets go Parkinson. Its not safe to be talking about this here", said Zambini softly. "Malfoy, are you coming?"

"In a minute", said Malfoy. "I've got some things I need to collect before I leave".

And Zambini left, closely followed by Pansy and the Slytherin boy.

Malfoy made sure that they were gone, then he said smugly, "You can come out now Potter".

When Harry didn't move, Malfoy took careful aim, and stunned Harry through his Invisibility Cloak. Harry slipped onto the floor and out under the cloak, trying his best not to give away Ron and Hermione.

"Well well, lovely to see you again Potter", said Malfoy, kicking Harry in the stomach. Harry groaned as Malfoy took the stunning charm off Harry's mouth.

"Oh how I do enjoy seeing you in pain Potter", said Malfoy, walking up behind Harry, and leaning over him, talking straight into his ear. "How very nosy you can be, but you are wasting your time. There is no way you or Dumbledore will be able to predict this. This plan is pure genius, but after all. The one who came up with it is a genius".

And giving Harry one last kick hard in the chest, breaking a few of Harry's ribs, Malfoy stood up and walked out of the classroom.

Harry, moaning in pain, tried to roll over, but only managed to make the pain worse. Hermione and Ron threw off the cloak and ran over to Harry. Harry's breathing was shallow, his face a very pale grey.

"Harry. HARRY! Are you ok?" Hermione gently lifted up Harry's head.

Harry looked up at Hermione, and said in barely more than a whisper, "call Dobby, tell him… to call… Dumbledore". Harry was now struggling to breath.

Hermione got up, pulling out her wand and muttered, "Bonus Revealus", and an instant X Ray of Harry's chest was revealed.

"Oh dear god", said Hermione shrilly. "Ron, one of Harry's ribs has punctured a lung!"

"Dobby, Dobby… if you can hear us please come here, its an emergency!" said Ron loudly.

A loud pop and Dobby was standing at Harry's feet.

"Young Master Weasley has called Dobby and Dobby has come sir", said Dobby in his squeaky voice. "What does Master Weasley want from… HARRY POTTER. WHAT IS WRONG!"

"Dobby, you have to get Dumbledore, tell him Harry is seriously injured and cant get to the Hospital Wing on his own", said Hermione, tears rolling down her face.

"Yes Miss Granger, Dobby will fetch Professor Dumbledore at once". and with a pop, Dobby vanished.

Five minutes later, Harry as pale as Aunt Petunia's kitchen, Dumbledore came hurriedly into the classroom, carefully lifted Harry into his arms, and quickly strode towards the Hospital Wing, Ron and Hermione jogging to keep up.

Dumbledore came bursting through the Hospital Wing doors, Madam Pomfrey looking up from a Hufflepuff boy who had corn cobs sprouting out of his ears.

"Dumbledore, what is it?"

"Poppy, he needs urgent attention", said Dumbledore. "A pierced lung".

Madam Pomfrey reached for her wand and used the same spell Hermione used to analyse Harry's chest. Madam Pomfrey looked up at Dumbledore sadly.

"This injury is beyond my skill to heal Albus", said Madam Pomfrey sadly. "Potter needs to go to St Mungo's".

"Very well then", said Dumbledore. "Miss Granger, would you kindly turn that bed pan over there into a portkey".

Hermione grabbed her wand, and touched it to a bedpan next to Dumbledore. It glowed then looked quite normal again. Dumbledore reached down and grabbed it from Hermione, then in a flash Dumbledore and Harry were gone.

Dumbledore then strode up the corridor in St Mungo's, carrying Harry carefully as he strode towards the ward clerk.

"Albus Dumbledore admitting Harry Potter on an extreme injury", said Dumbledore smoothly.

"Room eleven" said the ward clerk as a team of healers were summoned, and followed Dumbledore into the room.

"If you could wait outside please Headmaster", said one of the healers, as he took Harry from Dumbledore, and put him on the bed.

"Certainly", said Dumbledore. "You can call me when its done".

"It will be a few hours", said the healer.

"Not to worry. I will wait", said Dumbledore firmly.

"Very well then", said the healer, and he strode off into the room where the rest of the healers were casting all kinds of healing spells on Harry.

"But Harry -"

"No Hermione… I want you to continue with it".

"But - "

"No buts Hermione, OR from you Ron, you two are to go ahead without me".

Harry was sitting up in his Hospital bed. It was the next day, and after almost an hour of convincing the desk clerk that they wouldn't try to kill him, Hermione and Ron had been granted permission to see Harry.

"Hermione, it does seem the best idea to go ahead with the polyjuice potion", said Ron, his arm around Hermione's shoulder because she had been crying, which had woken Harry, and when Harry had asked what the fuss was she had screamed like a banshee and Ron and Harry had roared with laughter. But Harry found it odd that Ron and Hermione were remaining so close together.

"Erm, Ron," said Harry, looking at him seriously. "Why are you still holding Hermione, and", Harry noticed Hermione was holding Ron's hand. "Why are u holding his hand Hermione?"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other, than looked down at their hands, then hastily separated, Ron hastily looked at the ceiling and Hermione looked shiftily at the flowers on Harry's bedside table, that had been sent by Mrs Weasley.

"Well? Is someone going to answer my question"? said Harry.

"Erm.. Well… naturally, if someone has been crying.. You.. Err…might.. Shall we say… comfort them", said Ron awkwardly.

"Yes Ron, but its highly unusual for you to act the way you did", said Harry slyly.

"Look can we get off this subject", snapped Hermione, and she shifted herself slightly away from Ron.

"Yes, lets get back to the potion", said Harry. "You two are going to do it".

"But Harry. Who are we going to change into", asked Hermione. "There were three other people there."

"Well that's simple. You and Ron transform into Pansy and Zambini".

"No way", said Hermione flatly. "There is no way I'm going to transform into that cow".

"Oh for goodness sake Hermione, just do it", said Harry impatient. Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but Harry shot an angry look at her, and she closed her mouth again.

"So that's it then", said Ron. "All we need to do now is figure out how we are going to get some of their hair to put into the potion".

Just then the desk clerk entered the room.

"I've just had an owl from Professor Dumbledore", she said. "You two are to return to Hogwarts at once".

"Ok then, thank you", said Hermione, and she and Ron got up, and left the room. Harry settled back into bed. He would be returning to Hogwarts the next day to prepare to go back to Egypt. As he drifted into an uneasy sleep, he kept imagining how much he hated Malfoy, and how he, and Voldemort would pay.

Ron and Hermione were standing near the Slytherin Common Room, figuring out a way they would be able to get the hairs they needed.

"Accio Pansy Parkinson's hairbrush!", said Hermione. It didn't take long before the hairbrush came zooming into view. Hermione took a few hairs out of the brush, and tossed the hairbrush into a waste paper bin nearby. Ron, however, took a more creative approach.

As Blaise Zambini came out of the Common Room, Ron walked up to him and foolishly picked a fight with him. Fifteen minutes later, bruised, and having had his eyebrows turned into spiders, he was pulled off Zambini by Snape, who had laughed at Ron's eyebrows, but changed them back.

"Dear me… fighting in the corridors. ten points from Gryffindor Weasley, and don't let me ever catch you fighting again, or it will be fifty and detention". and Snape strode away. Zambini got up off the floor, glared at Ron, then headed after Snape. But Ron had got what he wanted. As Snape pulled him up, Ron had managed to grab hold of Zambini's hair and ripped a huge chunk of it out of Zambini's head. Ron put it in a glass phial and headed with Hermione to the dungeons

Once they had found the potion, which was put away in a cupboard so that no one could see it, Hermione filled a small jug, and put a cork in it. Hermione then stuffed it in a pocket of her robes, and followed Ron out of the dungeon. Now it was the hard part. To find Zambini and Pansy so that they could be stunned so that they didn't burst in and blow Ron and Hermione's cover.

Hermione located Pansy in the girls bathroom on the first floor. Hermione took careful aim, and stunned Pansy in the chest. It knocked her off her feet and into a sink. Hermione put on her robes, and stuffed Pansy in a cubicle, locking it.

Finding Zambini proved difficult. He wasn't anywhere near the Slytherin Common Room, nor was he in the Great Hall, or the library. When they did find him, he was on his way down from the Astronomy Tower. Ron and Hermione hide behind a suit of armour, Ron poking his head around it, then, with spectacular good luck, cast his jinx. It missed Zambini by inches, ricochet off the wall, bounced of Peeves, and managed, somehow, to hit Zambini square in between the eyes. Ron heaved him into a broomstick cupboard and locked it. Peeves was stunned in midair.

Then, making sure the coast was clear, Hermione conjured two glass cups out of thin air, poured the potion into them both, then hid the jug behind a statue. Hermione and Ron then added the hairs, and then drained the cups.

For a few moments nothing happened. Then they felt the familiar sensation as their bodies changed.

After the transformation was complete, Hermione looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"I'm so glad this change isn't permanent", said Hermione as she examined her new body in the mirror.

"Where have you two been? I've been wanting to talk to you".

Hermione and Ron spun around and came face to face with Malfoy.

"What are you two staring at?", said Malfoy. "We have urgent things to discuss". and Malfoy turned around and started walking back towards the Slytherin Common Room.

"Hey Zambini, I heard you got Weasley pretty well before", said Malfoy impressed. "Maybe I should get you to teach me to use that on Potter sometime".

"Erm… sure…", said Ron awkwardly.

"Excellent… I want to get Potter real good this time… and the masters plan shall help me get rid of him once and for all".

Malfoy didn't say anything else after that as they approached the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. Malfoy gave the password and they entered.

As Malfoy sat himself down, Ron and Hermione sat opposite him.

"So Malfoy, how are things going with this plan of yours?" said Hermione.

"Very well indeed", said Malfoy, his voice with a hint of smugness. "The Master has trusted me with this important role and I will not fail him."

"Are we going to know about what's gonna happen?" said Ron, a little too much like himself, that earned him a nudge in the ribs from Hermione.

"Unfortunately Zambini… no, your not. Neither are you Pansy", said Malfoy.

"But I thought you said we would be helping you", said Hermione. "Shouldn't we at least know how".

"You will know what to do when the Dark Lord gives me permission to inform you. I do not go against his wishes… that would be stupid".

"Well are you allowed to tell us anything?" asked Ron.

"Why are you both so interested in this"? asked Malfoy suspiciously. "Anyone would think you were trying to fish something out of me".

"No Draco, we are just curious, that's all", said Hermione. She was playing her part very well.

"Well being curious sometimes can get you killed", said Malfoy. "But I'm allowed to tell you some things yes".

"Potter wont know what hit him", said Malfoy happily.

"What's gonna happen?" asked Ron.

"Oh something very nasty indeed", said Malfoy sneering. "Something he wont expect when he least expects it".

"Can you tell us anything else?" asked Hermione.

"No. Sorry. That's it until it actually happens", said Malfoy. "Now. I have some urgent matters to attend to, so if you could please leave".

So Ron and Hermione rose and left the Slytherin Common Room and almost walked into Dumbledore on their way to Gryffindor Tower.

"Well well… why would two Slytherin's be going to Gryffindor Tower?" asked Dumbledore smiling.

"Sir, we aren't Slytherin's, its us, Ron and Hermione… we were just… erm.."

"No need to explain Miss Granger, no need to explain at all", said Dumbledore waving a hand. "I had a feeling something like this would happen".

"You did Professor?"

"Yes. I have had a feeling that Draco Malfoy had been in contact with Lord Voldemort for some time now, but I do not know what he has been doing. Would you like to enlighten me in my office", and they set off for Dumbledore's office.

After Dumbledore had given the password, and they had entered Dumbledore's circular office, Dumbledore sat down behind his desk, and Ron and Hermione sat in front of him. They had begun to change back into themselves. Pansy Parkinson's robes were starting to hang off Hermione. Dumbledore waved his wand and Ron and Hermione found themselves wearing Gryffindor robes again.

"Now tell me. What did you find out?" asked Dumbledore smoothly.

"Well not really that much Professor", said Hermione as she adjusted her robes. "Malfoy wouldn't tell us much. He said he would tell us, or rather, tell Pansy and Zambini, when Voldemort gave the order to tell them".

"Ah yes. Good old Tom. Always secretive right to the end". Dumbledore pushed his half moon glasses up his crooked nose and continued. "Did you find out anything at all?"

"Well he did tell us that whatever it is, Harry will never expect it," said Ron. "So whatever it is, you can guarantee its something big".

"Hmm. I think I may need to increase Harry's protection just to be safe. Hagrid."

Out from behind a rather large bookshelf popped Hagrid's hairy face.

"I trust you were listening to all of that", said Dumbledore looking over at Hagrid as he shuffled past a clutter of books and a small table, knocking down a few paintings of headmasters and headmistresses. Some screamed as the fell through the air and landed on the stone floor. Some screamed at Hagrid to watch himself and others who were higher up laughed at the many who had fallen. The picture of a young looking witch walked into the frame of Phineas Nigellus's Portrait and slapped him so hard his painting fell off the wall and clattered to the ground, his frame cracking into two, and sporting a rather nasty bruise himself.

"Sorry bout that", said Hagrid as he picked up the portraits and hung them back on the wall, leaving Phineas on the floor.

"Excuse me. Haven't you forgotten someone", said Phineas rather rudely.

"You can stay there Phineas", said Dumbledore. "Your frame needed mending, and I have rather urgent business to attend to".

Phineas looked highly affronted, but stayed silent.

"Now, as I was saying… I trust you heard all of that Hagrid". said Dumbledore.

"Yes sir, and I will be glad ter add ter Harry's guard", said Hagrid eagerly.

"I was hoping you would say that", said Dumbledore. "I shall inform Professor Grubbly - Plank immediately".

"Err… Professor", said Ron. "May I suggest something?"

"Certainly Mr Weasley", said Dumbledore.

"Well… as you know… my brother Charlie… well he.. Err… he was very good at Care of Magical Creatures when he was at Hogwarts… and he's got some time off coming up… and I was thinking… I'm sure he would love to come here to teach it, while Hagrid is with us of course."

"Why Mr Weasley, that is a splendid idea", said Dumbledore smiling down at Ron, and Ron blushed crimson. "What do you think Hagrid?".

"I think it would be a great idea Professor", said Hagrid beaming. "I cant think of anyone better ter do the job".

"Excellent", said Dumbledore smiling. "I shall send the invitation to Charlie at once. Hagrid, may I borrow your owl?"

"Of course sir", said Hagrid, and he reached into his jacket, pulling out a ruffled looking barn owl. The owl shook its feathers and as Dumbledore attached the letter to its leg, he stood up and opened a nearby window. The owl took flight and flew out the window, and Dumbledore sat down again.

"Now Hagrid, I want you to get in contact with some more people. I want Harry fully protected. Round up Moody and Kingsley."

"Moody will be tricky ter hunt down", said Hagrid. "He's been busy with the Order, and Kingsley has been off promoting more on Sirius. I can see if I can get in contact with em, and maybe Tonks as well."

"Yes. Tonks will come in quite useful," said Dumbledore. "OK then Hagrid. I shall see you tomorrow then."

"Right ye are sir", said Hagrid, and gathering his things, he left.

"Now I think you two should go up to Gryffindor Tower now", said Dumbledore.

"When will Harry be getting back?" asked Hermione.

"I shall go to St Mungo's first thing tomorrow morning to get him", said Dumbledore, and Ron and Hermione left the room.

"OK… you can come out now".

Out of a far corner, Sirius popped out from under an invisibility cloak.

"Well Sirius… what do you think?"

"Voldemort is getting desperate to use someone like the Malfoy boy", said Sirius. But still I don't like it".

"Neither do I", said Dumbledore. "That is why I have ordered more protection for Harry".

"Dumbledore I really think I should be on that guard", said Sirius. "I think it's time Harry knew I was alive".

"I don't think that would be a good idea", said Dumbledore shaking his head. "Voldemort could use it to his advantage to draw Harry away from safety, the same way he did before, only this time you could really end up dead".

"I suppose your right", said Sirius sighing. "Well I'm off to the kitchens for some food. Would you like anything?"

"Yes actually. Could you ask Dobby to make me a Hot Chocolate. They are magnificent, you should try it".

Sirius smiled, then, wrapping the invisibility cloak back around him, he headed out of Dumbledore's office, silently thinking to himself, "One day soon you will know I'm alive Harry. One day soon".

Omg… talk about ages… I had deleted and re-done so much of this chapter it isn't funny… I had to backtrack through the rest of the story because certain things didn't flow so yeah… this chapter took me a while… I hope it wasn't back.. And how about the polyjuice aye… I originally didn't plan on putting it in this story, but it somehow found its way, and I think it works well… so yeah… hope you enjoyed, and look out for the next chapter, chapter 10.. Also, if there is anything you would like to see in a future chapter, please say something and ill see what I can do for you…


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